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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.

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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 · hand · mug · racket · band · perch · deal · bear

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. deal — to handle
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. band — a ring
  5. bear — the animal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. mug — a cup
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mug — a face
  16. band — a music group
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. mug — to rob
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. stem — to come from
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. hand — in cards
  23. bear — the animal
  24. racket — for tennis

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