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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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. stem — to come from
  7. wound — an injury
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bass — the fish
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. wound — an injury
  15. plane — a tool
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bass — low music

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