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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. hand — help
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. dip — to sink
  5. firm — a company
  6. board — a committee
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. stock — goods
  10. firm — decided
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. board — to get on
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stock — shares
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. hand — in cards
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. firm — steady
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bay — a horse colour

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