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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: stem · cap · dip · temple · deal · land · can · stick

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. can — to be able to
  3. dip — to sink
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. cap — of ice
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — ground
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cap — a lid
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. can — a tin
  22. cap — a hat
  23. stem — to come from
  24. can — a tin

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