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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: mug · capital · bay · jam · bore · dip · stem · wave

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. capital — a city
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — to rob
  11. stem — to come from
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. capital — money
  17. dip — to sink
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bore — to tire
  24. mug — a face

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