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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. stem — to come from
  6. last — to go on
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. stock — goods
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. degree — temperature
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. degree — an amount
  14. suit — clothes
  15. last — finally
  16. plane — a tool
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. suit — in cards
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stock — shares
  22. last — final
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. suit — to fit

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