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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: mark · spring · mate · arm · cap · pitch · stem · coach

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. cap — a lid
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. spring — the season
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stem — to come from
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mate — a partner
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mate — to breed
  12. spring — a coil
  13. cap — a hat
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mark — a grade
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mark — to pay attention

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