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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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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: snap · stem · bass · bore · cue · bear · wave · ground

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — the earth
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bass — low music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bear — the animal
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bore — to tire
  14. ground — crushed
  15. snap — to click
  16. cue — a hint
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bear — the animal

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