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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 120 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: tube · stem · racket · track · firm · wake · patient · bass

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — decided
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. track — a song
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bass — the fish
  9. track — a path
  10. firm — steady
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — a container
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stem — to come from
  20. wake — a trail
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bass — low music
  24. track — to keep track

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