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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 116 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: fan · rock · pitch · key · wake · wind · mate · stem

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. key — for a lock
  3. pitch — completely
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wind — moving air
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. mate — a friend
  11. rock — music
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. mate — to breed
  17. rock — a stone
  18. key — the most important part
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. key — in music
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stem — to come from
  24. wake — before a funeral

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