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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.

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: pit · spell · roll · pass · can · stick · foot · stem

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. pit — in a race
  3. spell — magic
  4. can — to be able to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pit — a hole
  7. can — a tin
  8. roll — a list
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. spell — letters
  12. stem — to come from
  13. spell — a short time
  14. can — a tin
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. foot — a measure
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — a permit
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. roll — on a roll

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