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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 116 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: stem · row · deal · pass · bowl · ground · fork · chair

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. chair — a leader
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. fork — in a road
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ground — crushed
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. stem — to come from
  12. row — a line
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. deal — to handle
  19. pass — a permit
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. ground — a position

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