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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: stem · ball · object · mug · pass · row · dip · pop

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. row — a line
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. pop — to visit
  6. object — to protest
  7. dip — to sink
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pop — soda
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. object — a thing
  12. row — to paddle
  13. mug — a face
  14. pop — music
  15. mug — to rob
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. object — an aim
  21. pass — a permit
  22. stem — to come from
  23. mug — a cup
  24. pass — to spend time

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