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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — from crying
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. board — to get on
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. tear — to rip
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. mug — to rob
  10. key — the most important part
  11. stock — goods
  12. mug — a face
  13. sharp — clever
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. board — a committee
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. stem — to come from
  18. key — in music
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. key — for a lock
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — to sink
  23. mug — a cup
  24. stock — shares

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