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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 116 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: bound · cap · pit · march · current · pass · court · stem

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a lid
  5. current — of water
  6. march — the month
  7. bound — obliged
  8. court — of a king
  9. current — happening now
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. march — the month
  15. cap — a hat
  16. march — music
  17. pass — a permit
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. court — of law
  20. bound — certain
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. court — for sport
  23. pit — a hole
  24. current — electric

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