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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: ball · bear · lean · stem · date · dip · ruler · bass

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bass — the fish
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — to sink
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ball — a dance
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. date — the fruit
  18. bass — low music
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stem — to come from
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. lean — to bend

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