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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 124 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wax — to grow
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. stock — goods
  11. suit — in cards
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. pit — a hole
  14. roll — a cake
  15. suit — clothes
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stock — shares
  20. dip — to sink
  21. pit — in a race
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. roll — a list

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