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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — letters
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bore — to drill
  6. cap — a hat
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. stock — shares
  9. suit — clothes
  10. court — of law
  11. court — for sport
  12. cap — of ice
  13. spell — magic
  14. bore — to tire
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. suit — to fit
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. stem — to come from
  19. kick — in football
  20. stock — goods
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. cap — a lid
  24. court — of a king

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