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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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Word bank
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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: suit · bear · mouse · deal · key · stem · mine · last

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. key — the most important part
  5. deal — to handle
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. last — to go on
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bear — the animal
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. last — final
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. last — finally
  16. suit — in cards
  17. key — in music
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mine — belonging to me

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