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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. suit — clothes
  3. degree — from a university
  4. suit — to fit
  5. degree — temperature
  6. degree — an amount
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stock — goods
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. stock — shares
  13. land — to come down
  14. land — ground
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bore — to tire
  17. land — a country
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to drill
  20. craft — boats
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. craft — a skill
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stock — a soup base

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