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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: pitcher · stem · cabinet · pit · net · mine · mouse · kick

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pit — in a race
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. kick — in football
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — in sport
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mine — for digging
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. net — for catching
  23. stem — to come from
  24. pit — a hole

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