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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 120 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: bowl · stem · ball · bass · club · pop · stick · wax

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bass — the fish
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bass — low music
  8. ball — a great time
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. pop — soda
  11. stem — to come from
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. pop — music
  14. club — for golf
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. club — a group
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. pop — to visit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bowl — to roll

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