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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: racket · pitch · plane · present · stem · dip · coach · march

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. present — a gift
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. present — there
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. present — the time now
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. march — the month
  12. dip — to sink
  13. stem — to come from
  14. plane — a tool
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. march — music
  20. march — the month
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pitch — completely
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. racket — for tennis

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