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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. spring — of water
  5. stem — to come from
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. spring — a coil
  9. stock — goods
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. pitch — completely
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rest — a break
  17. spring — the season
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stock — shares
  24. rest — what's left

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