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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 120 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 · bass · leaves · suit · bore · wake · bound · can

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bass — the fish
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. suit — to fit
  10. can — a tin
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bore — to drill
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bound — tied together
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. can — to be able to
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. suit — in cards
  21. can — a tin
  22. bound — certain
  23. suit — clothes
  24. leaves — to go away

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