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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. rock — a stone
  4. wake — a trail
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bass — the fish
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bass — low music
  11. mark — a trace
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stem — to come from
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. mug — a face
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. rock — music
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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