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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: stem · mouse · jam · dip · pass · racket · face · mark

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mark — a trace
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. face — to point toward
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. dip — to sink
  13. face — to confront
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stem — to come from
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. pass — a permit
  22. mark — a grade
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. face — part of the head

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