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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 116 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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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: chair · swing · pound · mark · dip · stem · perch · band

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. band — a music group
  6. pound — a weight
  7. dip — to sink
  8. band — a ring
  9. chair — a leader
  10. swing — music
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. swing — to play on
  13. mark — a grade
  14. stem — to come from
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mark — a trace
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. chair — to sit on

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