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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: stem · hide · bay · board · trunk · stock · current · spring

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. board — to get on
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stock — shares
  7. current — of water
  8. spring — a coil
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. current — happening now
  11. stock — goods
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. spring — the season
  16. current — electric
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. stem — to come from
  19. board — a committee
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. board — a flat piece

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