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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.

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: bat · pitch · bulb · stem · tube · safe · cue · pass

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. tube — a container
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stem — to come from
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pass — a permit
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a signal
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pass — to spend time

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