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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. pop — music
  3. branch — a division
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. fork — in a road
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. stock — goods
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. pop — to visit
  18. stock — shares
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pop — soda
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. stem — to come from
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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