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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 120 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: squash · saw · coach · rock · stem · stock · foot · pitch

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. stock — goods
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. squash — to crush
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. stock — shares
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. stem — to come from
  15. squash — the sport
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. rock — a stone
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — music
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. pitch — completely
  24. saw — the tool

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