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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: stock · spring · stem · pitch · leaves · fine · cap · mark

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. spring — the season
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. spring — of water
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. fine — high quality
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. cap — a lid
  12. fine — all right
  13. pitch — completely
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. spring — a coil
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — shares
  21. mark — a trace
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. cap — a hat
  24. mark — a grade

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