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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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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: board · lash · bowl · stem · cue · bulb · stick · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. cue — for pool
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. board — to get on
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pass — a permit
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. cue — a hint
  22. board — a committee
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bowl — a dish

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