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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 116 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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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: mark · suit · stem · craft · game · stand · pitch · branch

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. game — wild animals
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. suit — clothes
  7. craft — boats
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. pitch — completely
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mark — a trace
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stem — to come from
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. game — a match
  23. branch — a division
  24. mark — a grade

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