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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: staff · perch · pop · stem · rock · club · bass · root

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. pop — to visit
  6. club — for dancing
  7. staff — a stick
  8. stem — to come from
  9. pop — soda
  10. root — of a plant
  11. staff — employees
  12. bass — the fish
  13. perch — the fish
  14. rock — music
  15. staff — employees
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for golf
  20. pop — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. perch — for a bird

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