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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · pitcher · fine · squash · bear · ground · face · stem

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fine — all right
  3. face — part of the head
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. squash — the sport
  7. ground — the earth
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. face — to confront
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. face — to point toward
  14. fine — high quality
  15. squash — to crush
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — crushed
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stem — to come from
  24. squash — the vegetable

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