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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: suit · cabinet · mark · kick · cap · mate · bear · squash

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cap — of ice
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. mark — a grade
  9. squash — the sport
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bear — the animal
  12. cap — a hat
  13. mate — to breed
  14. squash — to crush
  15. mark — a trace
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. kick — in football
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. suit — clothes
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. mate — a friend

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