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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 116 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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — happy
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stock — shares
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. bulb — for light
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. stock — goods
  24. stem — to come from

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