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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: pitch · roll · squash · foot · pass · stem · pit · bear

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. roll — a cake
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. squash — the sport
  6. foot — a measure
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pit — in a race
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. roll — a list
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pit — a hole
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. squash — to crush

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