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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.

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: mouse · capital · season · hide · bear · bass · stem · bank

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. capital — money
  5. bass — low music
  6. bear — the animal
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. bank — for money
  11. bass — the fish
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. stem — to come from
  15. season — of the year
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bank — for money
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bank — of a river
  24. hide — animal skin

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