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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: content · bore · leaves · cue · stem · mate · stock · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bore — to drill
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — a hint
  7. content — happy
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. mate — a partner
  11. cue — for pool
  12. mate — to breed
  13. stem — to come from
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bore — to tire
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. content — the amount
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — shares
  22. mate — a friend
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. plane — a tool

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