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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 120 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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. stock — goods
  5. craft — a skill
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. bank — for money
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. cap — a lid
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. cap — of ice
  18. rule — government
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. stem — to come from
  21. rule — a law
  22. craft — boats
  23. stock — shares
  24. pitcher — a jug

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