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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. stock — goods
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. stock — shares
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. sharp — clever
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. stem — to come from
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. can — a tin
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cell — in biology
  24. ruler — a monarch

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