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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ruler · cap · ground · jam · bass · stem · branch · mouse

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. cap — of ice
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. cap — a hat
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. cap — a lid
  15. stem — to come from
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. ground — a position
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ground — the earth

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