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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stock — goods
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. roll — a list
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. scale — in music
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stem — to come from
  15. last — finally
  16. last — to go on
  17. bulb — for light
  18. tear — to rip
  19. tear — from crying
  20. last — final
  21. stock — shares
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. roll — a cake
  24. bulb — of a plant

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