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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: cap · roll · ball · net · mark · wake · stem · mug

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. mark — a grade
  3. wake — a trail
  4. roll — a cake
  5. ball — a dance
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. cap — a lid
  8. mug — to rob
  9. net — for catching
  10. mug — a cup
  11. cap — a hat
  12. mark — a trace
  13. stem — to come from
  14. roll — a list
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a great time
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. net — after costs
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. cap — of ice
  24. mug — a face

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