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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 · stem · pitcher · arm · bowl · pass · wave · plane

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. plane — a tool
  7. stem — to come from
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. mate — a partner
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mate — a friend
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. mate — to breed
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — a permit
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. plane — an aircraft

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