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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: swing · bank · hide · stem · pitcher · dip · pit · fan

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  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. pit — a hole
  2. swing — music
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bank — for money
  11. swing — in golf
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bank — of a river
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bank — for money
  22. dip — to sink
  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