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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: tube · stem · content · foot · staff · cap · squash · bear

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. content — the amount
  4. tube — the underground
  5. staff — a stick
  6. foot — a measure
  7. tube — a container
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. staff — employees
  10. content — happy
  11. bear — the animal
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bear — the animal
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. cap — a hat
  19. staff — employees
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — to crush
  24. cap — of ice

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