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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — shares
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. current — electric
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. current — of water
  12. stem — to come from
  13. row — to paddle
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. current — happening now
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. row — a line
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. vault — a safe
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com