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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: cap · hide · suit · stem · track · tube · bore · court

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. track — a path
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. tube — the underground
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. court — of a king
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. track — to keep track
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bore — to drill
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. track — a song
  19. tube — a container
  20. bore — to tire
  21. suit — clothes
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. court — for sport
  24. tube — in a tire

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