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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 asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. content — happy
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. spell — a short time
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stock — goods
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cue — a signal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stock — shares
  17. press — to push
  18. content — the amount
  19. press — newspapers
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. press — a publisher
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. spell — letters

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