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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. current — of water
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bank — for money
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. swing — music
  9. current — electric
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bass — low music
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bank — of a river
  14. swing — to play on
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. swing — in golf
  17. ground — a position
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. ground — crushed
  20. rash — a series
  21. current — happening now
  22. bank — for money
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. stem — to come from

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