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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lie · dip · bore · stem · stock · bowl · capital · mate

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — goods
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. capital — money
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. mate — a friend
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. capital — a city
  14. stem — to come from
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. mate — to breed
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — gave birth

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