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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. craft — a skill
  4. pit — in a race
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. stock — goods
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. mark — a grade
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. court — for sport
  12. stem — to come from
  13. court — of law
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. stock — shares
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. craft — boats
  20. court — of a king
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. pit — a hole

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