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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: spring · pitcher · calf · toast · stem · bulb · stock · deal

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bulb — for light
  6. spring — of water
  7. spring — a coil
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. stock — shares
  15. stem — to come from
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. spring — the season
  21. stock — goods
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. toast — bread
  24. bulb — of a plant

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