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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: rock · capital · stem · bear · spell · fine · roll · cabinet

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fine — all right
  7. roll — a cake
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. spell — letters
  10. rock — music
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rock — a stone
  15. capital — money
  16. spell — magic
  17. capital — a city
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — to come from
  21. roll — a list
  22. spell — a short time
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. capital — a big letter

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