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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: present · drill · pitch · cabinet · stem · stick

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. present — a gift
  3. stem — to come from
  4. pitch — completely
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. present — there
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — a practice
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. present — the time now
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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