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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: stem · sharp · bear · fork · mine · stock · cabinet · present

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mine — for digging
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — goods
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. sharp — clever
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. present — a gift
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. present — there
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. bear — the animal
  22. present — the time now
  23. stock — shares
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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