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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 · stem · coach · stock · snap · file · bulb · wave

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. stock — goods
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. stock — shares
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bulb — for light
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. file — a tool
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. file — a line of people
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. file — a document
  20. snap — to click
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bear — the animal
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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