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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: rock · tube · arm · bay · can · stock · stem · mark

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. stock — shares
  5. rock — music
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rock — a stone
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. mark — a grade
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — to come from
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. can — a tin
  19. mark — a trace
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. stock — goods
  22. tube — a container
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. tube — the underground

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