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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: present · firm · bulb · wake · pitch · last · stem · jam

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. pitch — completely
  4. last — finally
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. firm — a company
  10. present — the time now
  11. last — to go on
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — there
  15. firm — steady
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. last — final
  19. firm — decided
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — a trail

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