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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 120 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: perch · wake · net · bowl · bound · bass · deal · stem

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bound — certain
  3. net — for catching
  4. stem — to come from
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. net — in sport
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bound — tied together
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. net — after costs
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bass — low music
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bound — obliged
  23. perch — the fish
  24. stem — a stem cell

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