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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 116 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: present · mate · bank · file · stem · track · cap · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bank — for money
  3. cap — of ice
  4. present — a gift
  5. mate — to breed
  6. track — a song
  7. track — to keep track
  8. file — a line of people
  9. mate — a partner
  10. track — a path
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bank — for money
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bank — of a river
  15. file — a document
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cue — a signal
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — there
  21. cap — a lid
  22. mate — a friend
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. file — a tool

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