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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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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: lash · track · pitch · racket · pass · last · stem · present

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. last — finally
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. last — to go on
  5. track — a path
  6. present — the time now
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. present — there
  12. stem — to come from
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pitch — completely
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. track — to keep track
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. track — a song
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. present — a gift
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pass — a permit
  24. last — final

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