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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: bat · season · dip · cabinet · mouse · mug · stem · suit

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bat — the animal
  5. season — in sport
  6. dip — to sink
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. suit — to fit
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. mug — a face
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. mug — a cup
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. season — of the year
  21. stem — to come from
  22. suit — in cards
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to dunk

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