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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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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: suit · roll · bass · spring · stem · calf · temple · rush

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. stem — to come from
  3. spring — the season
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. spring — of water
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bass — low music
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. suit — to fit
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. roll — a cake
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. spring — a coil
  22. roll — a list
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. calf — of the leg

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