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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: mug · snap · pitch · date · object · foot · stem · toast

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. mug — to rob
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. object — a thing
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. date — the fruit
  10. pitch — completely
  11. foot — a measure
  12. mug — a face
  13. object — an aim
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. toast — bread
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. object — to protest
  18. snap — to click
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. stem — to come from
  23. mug — a cup
  24. date — on the calendar

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