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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: mate · pitch · mark · fan · bowl · stem · plane · ball

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mate — a friend
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mate — to breed
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pitch — completely
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. mate — a partner
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bowl — a dish

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