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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: pass · net · jam · mouse · march · stem · ground · dip

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. dip — to sink
  8. march — the month
  9. stem — to come from
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. net — for catching
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. march — music
  14. ground — a position
  15. net — after costs
  16. ground — the earth
  17. pass — a permit
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. ground — crushed
  21. march — the month
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. stem — a stem cell

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