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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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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: pitch · firm · stock · stem · club · vault · row · calf

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. row — to paddle
  4. stem — to come from
  5. row — a line
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stock — goods
  10. club — for golf
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. stock — shares
  15. club — for dancing
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. vault — a safe
  19. club — a group
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. pitch — completely
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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