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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: mate · coach · bat · bowl · stock · plane · pass · bank

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. plane — a tool
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bank — for money
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. mate — a friend
  21. stock — shares
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. pass — a permit

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