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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: bear · ruler · stock · nail · hide · track · stem · wake

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. track — to keep track
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. wake — a trail
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stock — goods
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. track — a song
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. track — a path
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bear — the animal
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stock — shares
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. nail — for a hammer

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