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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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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 · fine · pitch · race · stick · pound

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. race — the arms race
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — completely
  10. fine — all right
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. race — humankind
  14. pound — a weight
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. race — a contest

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