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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: cue · pitch · fan · stem · degree · march · leaves · lash

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. march — the month
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. march — the month
  9. cue — for pool
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. degree — temperature
  12. degree — from a university
  13. degree — an amount
  14. pitch — completely
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. cue — a signal
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. stem — to come from
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. cue — a hint

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