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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: roll · racket · clip · stem · scale · rock · firm · pass

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. clip — for paper
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. clip — a video
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. firm — steady
  7. roll — a list
  8. rock — a stone
  9. clip — to cut
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. firm — decided
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. roll — a cake
  19. stem — to come from
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. firm — a company
  22. scale — size or range
  23. rock — music
  24. scale — in music

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