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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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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: stem · cap · race · plane · ball · pass · fall · cue

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. ball — a great time
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. cap — a lid
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. fall — to drop
  10. plane — a tool
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — the season
  14. cue — a hint
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stem — to come from
  17. race — humankind
  18. race — the arms race
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — of ice
  21. race — a contest
  22. cue — for pool
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. cue — a signal

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