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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: cap · ground · mouse · dip · mark · bore · stem · stick

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bore — to tire
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. ground — the earth
  8. cap — a lid
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. ground — crushed
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bore — to drill
  16. ground — a position
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. cap — a hat
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. stem — to come from
  24. mouse — the animal

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