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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. plane — a tool
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. ball — a great time
  12. dip — to sink
  13. stem — to come from
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. dip — to dunk

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