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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. scale — in music
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. scale — size or range
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stock — goods
  10. chair — a leader
  11. fall — to drop
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. fall — the season
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. stock — shares
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. mouse — the animal

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