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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. degree — from a university
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. suit — in cards
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — goods
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stem — to come from
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. degree — temperature
  19. degree — an amount
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. suit — clothes
  22. game — wild animals
  23. suit — to fit
  24. game — a match

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