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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. stock — shares
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. cap — a lid
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — there
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. cap — of ice
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — goods
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. present — the time now
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pitch — completely
  20. cap — a hat
  21. wake — a trail
  22. prune — to trim
  23. stem — to come from
  24. wake — before a funeral

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