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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. date — the fruit
  3. stem — to come from
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bass — low music
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — a committee
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. key — in music
  17. key — the most important part
  18. board — to get on

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