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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. ground — the earth
  6. staff — employees
  7. ground — a position
  8. staff — employees
  9. stem — to come from
  10. race — the arms race
  11. stock — goods
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. stock — shares
  15. rock — music
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — a contest
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. ground — crushed
  21. staff — a stick
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. pitch — completely

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