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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. mark — a grade
  3. track — a path
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. fine — all right
  8. chair — a leader
  9. fine — high quality
  10. track — a song
  11. bass — the fish
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. firm — a company
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bass — low music
  16. firm — decided
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. track — to keep track
  19. mark — a trace
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. firm — steady
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bass — the instrument

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