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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: jam · pit · stock · nail · stem · bear · bark · bulb

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stock — goods
  3. bark — to shout
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bulb — for light
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stock — shares
  23. pit — in a race
  24. jam — a tight spot

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