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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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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 · squash · object · pitch · rush · mug · stem · ball

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. mug — to rob
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. pitch — completely
  6. object — to protest
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. stem — to come from
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. ball — a dance
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. object — an aim
  16. mug — a cup
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. ball — a great time
  19. mug — a face
  20. object — a thing
  21. squash — the sport
  22. squash — to crush
  23. rush — hurry
  24. ball — a round shape

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