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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 116 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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. spring — a coil
  4. sharp — clever
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. stock — goods
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. march — music
  12. bear — the animal
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. stock — shares
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. march — the month
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. spring — of water
  20. spring — the season
  21. march — the month
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. nail — for a hammer

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