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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: cap · jam · wind · bass · wave · stem · firm · dip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. cap — a hat
  5. stem — to come from
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bass — the fish
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. dip — to sink
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. cap — a lid
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. cap — of ice
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. firm — decided
  20. wind — moving air
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — steady
  23. bass — low music
  24. wave — of the sea

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