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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. bear — the animal
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. stem — to come from
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. stock — goods
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. squash — to crush
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. stock — shares
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. dip — a sauce

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