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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. cue — a hint
  5. suit — in cards
  6. cue — for pool
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. rash — hasty
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. scale — in music
  11. suit — to fit
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — the underground
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rash — a series
  18. pitch — completely
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. wax — to grow
  22. scale — size or range
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. cue — a signal

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