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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: roll · stem · board · snap · pass · pitcher · bowl · net

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — for catching
  5. board — to get on
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. net — in sport
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stem — to come from
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. board — a committee
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. roll — a cake
  19. snap — to click
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. roll — a list
  24. bowl — a football final

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