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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. current — happening now
  3. rash — a series
  4. cap — a lid
  5. stock — shares
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. current — electric
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — for a lock
  10. rash — hasty
  11. cap — of ice
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. current — of water
  15. foot — a measure
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. key — in music
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. stem — to come from
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. cap — a hat
  24. stem — of a plant

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