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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: plane · content · pass · land · stem · band · bowl · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. band — a music group
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. pass — a permit
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stem — to come from
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. land — ground
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. land — a country
  16. band — a ring
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. land — to come down
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — happy
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pass — to spend time

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