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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. object — to protest
  4. stock — shares
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. dip — to sink
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — an aim
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stock — goods
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cap — of ice
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. cap — a lid
  19. prune — to trim
  20. fork — in a road
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. stem — to come from

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