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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: stem · mug · face · stick · spell · ruler · capital · pit

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. mug — a face
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. spell — letters
  5. pit — in a race
  6. mug — to rob
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. mug — a cup
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. capital — a city
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. spell — a short time
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pit — a hole
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. spell — magic
  21. capital — money
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. face — to confront
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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