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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. stem — to come from
  6. degree — an amount
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — a permit
  9. deal — to handle
  10. stock — shares
  11. can — a tin
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. can — to be able to
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bass — the fish
  17. can — a tin
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. degree — temperature
  20. bass — low music
  21. stock — goods
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. deal — a big deal

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