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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: pitcher · firm · stem · stock · current · staff · wake · pit

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. wake — a trail
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. firm — steady
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — electric
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. staff — employees
  16. current — of water
  17. pit — in a race
  18. staff — a stick
  19. firm — a company
  20. staff — employees
  21. firm — decided
  22. stock — goods
  23. stem — to come from
  24. wake — before a funeral

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