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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: bear · swing · fine · field · mate · stem · ruler · dip

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. swing — music
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. field — farmland
  5. mate — a friend
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. swing — to play on
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. field — for sport
  10. stem — to come from
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. field — a subject
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. swing — in golf
  17. fine — all right
  18. dip — to sink
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. mate — a partner
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. mate — to breed

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