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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. stem — to come from
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. suit — clothes
  5. capital — money
  6. spell — a short time
  7. pit — in a race
  8. suit — to fit
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bank — for money
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. spell — letters
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bank — for money
  18. stock — goods
  19. bank — of a river
  20. spell — magic
  21. craft — a skill
  22. stock — shares
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. craft — boats

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