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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mug · bay · stem · cap · cell · swing

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. swing — to play on
  6. mug — a face
  7. cap — a lid
  8. mug — a cup
  9. cell — a phone
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. swing — in golf
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. mug — to rob
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. cap — a hat
  18. stem — to come from

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