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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ball · stem · lie · kid · board · coach · mate · bowl

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. board — to get on
  4. mate — a friend
  5. stem — to come from
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ball — a dance
  8. mate — a partner
  9. board — a committee
  10. lie — to recline
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. mate — to breed
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. kid — child
  17. ball — a great time
  18. kid — to tease
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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