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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. current — of water
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. stock — shares
  7. staff — employees
  8. bear — the animal
  9. staff — employees
  10. net — in sport
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — electric
  14. net — for catching
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. stock — goods
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. net — after costs
  22. staff — a stick
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — a stem cell

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