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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: land · stem · dip · bass · deal · arm · mark · lie

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. deal — to handle
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. lie — to recline
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bass — low music
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. land — a country
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mark — a grade
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. land — ground
  20. bass — the fish
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. land — to come down
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. dip — to sink

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