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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 · stem · stick · pitcher · snap · rush · jam · drill

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. drill — the tool
  6. stem — to come from
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. snap — to click
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. drill — a practice
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. drill — army training
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. rush — hurry
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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