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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: stem · content · mark · swing · rock · club · bass · nail

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. rock — music
  8. swing — music
  9. content — the amount
  10. bass — the fish
  11. club — for dancing
  12. mark — a trace
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. club — a group
  15. bass — low music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. mark — a grade
  20. club — for golf
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. content — happy

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