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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: deal · bass · stem · mine · fall · rush · ruler · bay

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bass — the fish
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. deal — to handle
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — low music
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stem — to come from
  12. fall — the season
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. fall — to drop
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mine — for digging
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. rush — hurry
  24. mine — belonging to me

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