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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.

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: mate · pitch · stem · dip · rash · face · wave · mug

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. mug — a cup
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. pitch — completely
  9. face — to point toward
  10. rash — hasty
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. mate — a friend
  14. stem — to come from
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. face — part of the head
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rash — a series
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. dip — to sink
  22. mug — a face
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mate — to breed

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