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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: ruler · stem · bass · march · chest · swing · leaves · calf

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. chest — a box
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. chest — of your body
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. march — music
  13. bass — the fish
  14. swing — in golf
  15. stem — to come from
  16. march — the month
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. march — the month
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. chest — of your body
  21. swing — to play on
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bass — low music

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