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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. current — happening now
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — to come from
  5. band — a ring
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. band — a music group
  9. toast — bread
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. current — of water
  13. current — electric
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bass — low music
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bass — the fish
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. season — in sport
  23. season — of the year
  24. cabinet — ministers

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