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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: capital · ball · date · stem · cap · band · root · chip

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. cap — a lid
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. cap — a hat
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. root — the cause
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. capital — a city
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. cap — of ice
  14. band — a music group
  15. root — of a word
  16. ball — a great time
  17. stem — to come from
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. ball — a dance
  21. chip — for betting
  22. capital — money
  23. band — a ring
  24. stem — a stem cell

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