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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: suit · pitch · squash · stem · staff · mark · rule · mouse

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. mark — a trace
  9. suit — to fit
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pitch — completely
  12. suit — in cards
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. suit — clothes
  15. rule — a law
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the sport
  21. rule — government
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mark — to pay attention

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