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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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bulb — for light
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. roll — a cake
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. roll — a list
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — goods
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. mark — a grade

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