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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · stem · mug · toast · season · sharp · bear · key

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. mug — a face
  4. stock — goods
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. stock — shares
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. season — of the year
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. bear — the animal
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — the most important part
  17. toast — bread
  18. sharp — clever
  19. season — in sport
  20. key — in music
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stem — a stem cell

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