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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: leaves · plane · pound · cue · lean · bowl · wave · stem

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. cue — for pool
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. stem — to come from
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pound — a weight
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cue — a signal
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. cue — a hint
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. stem — of a plant

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