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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stem · spell · staff · row · key · bass · ruler · bowl

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  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. bass — the fish
  2. spell — letters
  3. stem — to come from
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. spell — magic
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. key — the most important part
  10. row — to paddle
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. key — in music
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. staff — employees
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bass — low music
  19. staff — employees
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. row — a line
  22. key — for a lock
  23. stem — of a plant
  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