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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: date · board · mug · hide · saw · stem · spell · suit

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mug — a cup
  3. suit — clothes
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. board — a committee
  6. stem — to come from
  7. board — to get on
  8. saw — the tool
  9. suit — to fit
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. mug — to rob
  14. spell — a short time
  15. mug — a face
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. suit — in cards
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — letters
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — the fruit
  24. board — a flat piece

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