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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bank — for money
  5. mate — to breed
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bank — of a river
  9. stem — to come from
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bank — for money
  13. ground — a position
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — a face
  18. ground — the earth

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