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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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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: rest · pitch · roll · wake · chest · race · stem · suit

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — completely
  9. suit — in cards
  10. roll — a cake
  11. race — a contest
  12. rest — what's left
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. race — humankind
  16. rest — a break
  17. stem — to come from
  18. chest — of your body
  19. roll — a list
  20. wake — a trail
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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