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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: nail · shower · club · row · mug · pitch · root · stem

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pitch — completely
  4. mug — a face
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. shower — rain
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. shower — to wash
  13. club — a group
  14. root — of a word
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. club — for golf
  17. stem — to come from
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. row — a line
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — the cause
  22. mug — a cup
  23. club — for dancing
  24. mug — to rob

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