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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 120 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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  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. stem — to come from
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. swing — in golf
  4. court — of a king
  5. swing — music
  6. root — of a plant
  7. suit — in cards
  8. court — for sport
  9. bass — low music
  10. root — of a word
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. swing — to play on
  13. court — of law
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. suit — clothes
  19. root — the cause
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. lie — to recline
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bass — the fish
  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