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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. ground — the earth
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stock — shares
  15. ground — crushed
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. ground — a position
  21. plane — a tool
  22. craft — boats
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. mouse — for a computer

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