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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 120 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: plane · stem · pitcher · bay · prune · swing · coach · pass

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. pass — a permit
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. swing — to play on
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. prune — to trim
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. prune — to trim

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