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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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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: mug · safe · stem · stock · branch · spell · fan · key

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — the most important part
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stock — shares
  7. key — in music
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. stem — to come from
  13. spell — letters
  14. mug — a cup
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. spell — magic
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. branch — a division
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. mug — to rob
  22. spell — a short time
  23. stock — goods
  24. branch — of a bank

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