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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 120 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: pit · stem · ball · wound · mark · craft · coach · bowl

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. pit — in a race
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. craft — boats
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. craft — a skill
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. stem — to come from
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. mark — a trace
  23. ball — a dance
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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