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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: stock · board · stem · fork · dip · cue · ground · sharp

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — crushed
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. board — to get on
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. stock — goods
  13. cue — for pool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stock — shares
  17. dip — to sink
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. sharp — clever
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. ground — the earth
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. board — a committee

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