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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. deal — to handle
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — a division
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. spring — of water
  10. stock — shares
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. spring — a coil
  17. plane — a tool
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. stem — to come from
  21. spring — the season
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. stock — goods

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