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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.

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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: can · pitch · calf · pitcher · stem · swing · scale · content

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pitch — completely
  7. swing — in golf
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. scale — in music
  13. swing — music
  14. content — happy
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. swing — to play on
  17. can — a tin
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. scale — size or range
  24. stem — to come from

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