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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rock · wound · stem · pop · suit · mouse

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. wound — an injury
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. stem — to come from
  7. rock — a stone
  8. suit — clothes
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. suit — in cards
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — to visit
  14. wound — an injury
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pop — music
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. rock — music

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