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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 120 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: cap · cell · season · bank · stem · game · craft · pit

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bank — for money
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. pit — a hole
  5. game — wild animals
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cap — a lid
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. cap — of ice
  10. season — of the year
  11. bank — for money
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. cap — a hat
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — in sport
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. stem — to come from
  19. game — a match
  20. cell — a phone
  21. craft — boats
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pit — in a race
  24. craft — a skill

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