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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
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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: prune · pass · can · row · craft · scale · stem · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pass — a permit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. can — a tin
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. scale — in music
  8. can — a tin
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pitch — completely
  11. craft — a skill
  12. row — a line
  13. craft — boats
  14. can — to be able to
  15. scale — size or range
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. prune — to trim
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. row — to paddle
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. stem — to come from

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