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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
468
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 · spell · pit · branch · bay · stock · key · drill

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. key — the most important part
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. drill — army training
  11. pit — a hole
  12. spell — magic
  13. drill — a practice
  14. stock — shares
  15. drill — the tool
  16. spell — letters
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stem — to come from
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. branch — a division
  22. pit — in a race
  23. key — in music
  24. key — for a lock

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