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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: bay · bat · bass · stem · present · ruler · shower · bowl

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — the time now
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — rain
  8. stem — to come from
  9. present — there
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bat — the animal
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bat — for baseball

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