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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: date · pitch · arm · firm · cabinet · roll · squash · stem

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. roll — a list
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — a company
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. firm — decided
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pitch — completely
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stem — to come from
  20. squash — the sport
  21. squash — to crush
  22. date — the fruit
  23. roll — a cake
  24. arm — part of the body

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