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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stock — goods
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. last — to go on
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. scale — in music
  8. bank — of a river
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. last — finally
  12. lean — to bend
  13. snap — to click
  14. stock — shares
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. stem — to come from
  20. bank — for money
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lean — thin
  23. last — final
  24. bank — for money

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