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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: mark · stem · mate · stand · ruler · cap · face · saw

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mate — to breed
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — part of the head
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — to come from
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. cap — a lid
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mark — a grade
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cap — a hat
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. cap — of ice
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mark — a trace

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