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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
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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: stem · mouse · bass · firm · perch · fine · dip · spell

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. fine — all right
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. firm — steady
  7. spell — letters
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bass — the fish
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. firm — decided
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. stem — to come from
  16. dip — to sink
  17. spell — magic
  18. firm — a company
  19. spell — a short time
  20. fine — high quality
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bass — low music
  24. fine — a penalty

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