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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: pitcher · stand · prune · stem · pitch · lean · object · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. stem — to come from
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. object — a thing
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. object — an aim
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bore — to drill
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. pitch — completely
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. object — to protest
  20. stand — to bear
  21. lean — thin
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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