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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wax — to grow
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bass — low music
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. stem — to come from
  20. tube — a container
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. lie — to recline
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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