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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. stem — to come from
  7. fork — in a road
  8. ball — a great time
  9. key — in music
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. key — the most important part

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