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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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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 · mouse · stem · bass · calf · mark · cell · game

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. cell — in biology
  5. bass — low music
  6. stem — to come from
  7. mark — a grade
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stock — goods
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bass — the fish
  16. cell — a phone
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. stock — shares
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bass — the instrument

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