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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: stem · toast · bowl · scale · ball · pass · chip · pound

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. chip — for betting
  3. ball — a dance
  4. stem — to come from
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. toast — bread
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. pound — a weight
  13. scale — in music
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. pass — to spend time

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