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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fine · jam · rule · wake · rock · stem · wound · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. fine — all right
  6. rule — a law
  7. fine — high quality
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. rock — music
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. wake — a trail
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rule — government
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. stem — to come from
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. wound — an injury

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