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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.

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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: current · pitch · racket · ball · saw · field · stem · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. field — a subject
  5. field — for sport
  6. stem — to come from
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. field — farmland
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. current — of water
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. ball — a great time
  19. saw — the tool
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. saw — the tool
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. ball — a dance

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