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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: stem · can · net · pitch · spring · last · file · rock

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. spring — a coil
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. rock — a stone
  5. can — a tin
  6. net — for catching
  7. last — to go on
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. stem — to come from
  10. last — final
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. net — in sport
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. spring — of water
  15. file — a document
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. last — finally
  18. pitch — completely
  19. spring — the season
  20. rock — music
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. file — a line of people
  24. net — after costs

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