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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · mug · pitch · stem · rock · jam · racket · object

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. stem — to come from
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pitch — completely
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mug — a face
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. rock — a stone
  13. object — to protest
  14. rock — music
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. mug — a cup
  17. object — a thing
  18. plane — a tool
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. mug — to rob
  23. object — an aim
  24. jam — in traffic

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