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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: stem · swing · jam · pitch · cap · cue · scale · tube

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  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. jam — a tight spot
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. cap — a lid
  4. tube — the underground
  5. swing — music
  6. stem — to come from
  7. cue — a hint
  8. tube — a container
  9. swing — to play on
  10. cue — a signal
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. cap — a hat
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. pitch — completely
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. scale — in music
  19. cue — for pool
  20. swing — in golf
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. cap — of ice
  23. scale — size or range
  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