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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: court · stem · dip · mug · present · wave · pound · cabinet

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. dip — to sink
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. present — there
  7. pound — a weight
  8. court — of law
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. present — the time now
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. court — for sport
  14. present — a gift
  15. mug — to rob
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — a face
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. court — of a king
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. wave — with your hand

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