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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. pop — soda
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. pop — music
  10. bass — low music
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pop — to visit
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rock — music
  16. wake — a trail
  17. date — the fruit
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. rock — a stone
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. stem — to come from
  23. mark — a grade
  24. date — on the calendar

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