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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 116 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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bass — low music
  3. hand — help
  4. hand — in cards
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bass — the fish
  7. kick — in football
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. staff — employees
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. staff — employees
  22. stem — to come from
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. staff — a stick

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