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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. band — a music group
  7. ground — crushed
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. stem — to come from
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ground — a position
  13. tube — a container
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. band — a ring
  17. cell — a phone
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. stock — shares
  21. tube — the underground
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. ground — the earth
  24. cell — in biology

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