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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: track · lean · bass · stem · rest · date · toast · perch

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bass — the fish
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. track — a song
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. toast — bread
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. track — a path
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. lean — thin
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bass — low music
  19. date — the fruit
  20. track — to keep track
  21. perch — the fish
  22. stem — to come from
  23. lean — to bend
  24. stem — a stem cell

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