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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 116 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. board — to get on
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. pop — to visit
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. board — a committee
  11. tear — to rip
  12. stem — to come from
  13. firm — decided
  14. bass — the fish
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. row — a line
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bass — low music
  22. tear — from crying
  23. pop — soda
  24. stem — a stem cell

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