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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: object · mug · stem · pound · wave · bat · jam · court

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bat — the animal
  5. mug — to rob
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. mug — a face
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. court — for sport
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. court — of a king
  14. court — of law
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. object — a thing
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. object — an aim
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. stem — to come from
  21. object — to protest
  22. pound — a weight
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. mug — a cup

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