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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 120 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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stock — shares
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stock — goods
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. deal — to handle
  7. object — to protest
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bear — the animal
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. chest — of your body
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. chest — of your body
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. object — an aim
  23. chest — a box
  24. object — a thing

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