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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. pitch — completely
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. stock — shares
  6. cap — a hat
  7. wake — a trail
  8. content — happy
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. content — the amount
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. cap — of ice
  18. stock — goods
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bear — the animal

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