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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bark — to shout
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stock — goods
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — shares
  13. spring — the season
  14. bass — the fish
  15. fine — all right
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bass — low music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — in music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. spring — of water
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. spring — a coil

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