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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 116 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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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: kick · cap · bear · pit · bank · fine · stem · bore

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fine — all right
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pit — a hole
  7. kick — in football
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — of ice
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bank — for money
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. pit — in a race
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bore — to drill
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bank — of a river
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bank — for money

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