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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: season · plane · racket · pitch · safe · fall · stem · chip

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. fall — the season
  10. pitch — completely
  11. fall — to drop
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. season — of the year
  14. chip — to eat
  15. season — in sport
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. chip — for betting
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. fall — to drop

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