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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. foot — a measure
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — low music
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — in music
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — for digging
  17. rock — a stone
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. rock — music
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. stem — to come from
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bass — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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