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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.

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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 · cabinet · face · chip · rash · bass · pitcher · wound

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. wound — an injury
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bass — the fish
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rash — a series
  18. face — to confront
  19. wound — an injury
  20. chip — to eat
  21. rash — hasty
  22. stem — to come from
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bass — low music

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