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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. game — wild animals
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. firm — decided
  11. rock — a stone
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. rock — music
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. firm — steady
  16. game — a match
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — magic
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — low music
  21. firm — a company
  22. plane — a tool
  23. stem — to come from
  24. spell — a short time

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