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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: spring · wax · rock · chair · bass · arm · mug · stem

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. chair — a leader
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. stem — to come from
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mug — a face
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — the season
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rock — music
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. wax — to grow
  17. mug — to rob
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. spring — of water
  24. arm — part of the body

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