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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bass — the fish
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. dip — to sink
  10. key — in music
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. stem — to come from
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lean — thin
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rule — a law
  21. lean — to bend
  22. rule — government
  23. key — for a lock
  24. trunk — of a car

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