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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bank — of a river
  3. can — a tin
  4. bank — for money
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. rest — a break
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mate — a partner
  11. pitch — completely
  12. spell — magic
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a friend
  18. spell — a short time
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bank — for money
  23. spell — letters
  24. rest — what's left

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