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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bass — the fish
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cap — a hat
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stem — to come from
  10. cap — of ice
  11. fall — the season
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. mark — a grade
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bass — low music
  17. roll — a list
  18. cap — a lid
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. fall — to drop
  21. mark — a trace
  22. roll — a cake
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stem — of a plant

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