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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: track · nail · fall · rest · stem · present · cabinet · bass

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — low music
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. fall — to drop
  11. track — to keep track
  12. fall — to drop
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. present — there
  15. present — the time now
  16. fall — the season
  17. stem — to come from
  18. track — a song
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rest — a break
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. track — a path
  24. present — a gift

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