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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: net · rule · pitch · stem · club · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. rule — a law
  3. pitch — completely
  4. club — for golf
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. club — for dancing
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. net — in sport
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. club — a group
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — for catching
  18. wave — of the sea

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