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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 · ruler · pass · content · firm · mine · key · bass

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bass — low music
  4. firm — decided
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. key — in music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. firm — steady
  10. stem — to come from
  11. content — happy
  12. pass — a permit
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — for digging
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. key — the most important part
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. firm — a company
  24. mine — an explosive

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