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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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. chest — of your body
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. charge — electricity
  7. rock — a stone
  8. stock — goods
  9. fall — to drop
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. toast — bread
  13. chest — a box
  14. stock — shares
  15. fall — the season
  16. tube — the underground
  17. fall — to drop
  18. charge — in control
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. stem — to come from
  21. chest — of your body
  22. charge — a price
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — music

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