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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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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 · ground · key · swing · stem · face · mark · lash

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. ground — the earth
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — completely
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. key — in music
  12. face — to point toward
  13. stem — to come from
  14. face — to confront
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. key — for a lock
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. ground — crushed
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. ground — a position
  23. mark — a grade
  24. face — part of the head

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