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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: bowl · lash · stem · jam · object · cap · row · ball

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. cap — of ice
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. cap — a hat
  13. object — to protest
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. row — a line
  18. ball — a dance
  19. cap — a lid
  20. object — a thing
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. object — an aim

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