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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 · content · pop · firm · pitch · wake · stem · fan

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. wake — a trail
  8. stem — to come from
  9. content — the amount
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. pitch — completely
  12. content — happy
  13. firm — decided
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — steady
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — soda

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