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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: stem · season · present · hand · ball · wave · mate · bear

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. stem — to come from
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — there
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. mate — a friend
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bear — the animal
  13. present — a gift
  14. season — in sport
  15. ball — a great time
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. hand — help
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. bear — the animal
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. season — of the year
  24. hand — in cards

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