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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: object · bat · pass · chip · march · mark · stem · wave

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. pass — a permit
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. march — music
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. chip — for betting
  10. object — a thing
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. chip — to eat
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. bat — the animal
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. mark — a grade
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. mark — a trace
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. stem — to come from

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