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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 120 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: pitcher · coach · squash · can · stem · cue · race · wave

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — the arms race
  3. stem — to come from
  4. cue — a hint
  5. race — humankind
  6. can — a tin
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. cue — for pool
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. can — a tin
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. squash — the sport
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. squash — to crush
  24. wave — of the sea

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