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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 116 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: pitcher · racket · can · board · lean · straw · stem · stock

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stem — to come from
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. board — a committee
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. can — a tin
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — shares
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. board — to get on
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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