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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: wake · bank · bowl · season · stem · mate · lie · swing

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bank — for money
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bank — for money
  7. stem — to come from
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. swing — in golf
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. swing — to play on
  15. season — of the year
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. mate — a friend
  19. season — in sport
  20. swing — music
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bank — of a river
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. lie — an untruth

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