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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stock — shares
  6. mark — a trace
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. charge — in control
  10. mark — a grade
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. charge — a price
  16. sharp — clever
  17. roll — a list
  18. stem — to come from
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. roll — a cake
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. safe — a strongbox

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