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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. cap — a hat
  3. key — in music
  4. cap — of ice
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. stem — to come from
  8. mate — a partner
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. key — the most important part
  12. dip — to sink
  13. stock — shares
  14. key — for a lock
  15. stock — goods
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. cap — a lid
  20. mate — a friend
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bank — for money
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. suit — clothes

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