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

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. suit — to fit
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bore — to tire
  9. cap — of ice
  10. stem — to come from
  11. mate — a friend
  12. capital — money
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bore — to drill
  16. capital — a city
  17. mate — to breed
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. mate — a partner
  20. prune — to trim
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — a lid

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