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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: rest · leaves · suit · stem · dip · pitch · current · snap

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. suit — in cards
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. current — of water
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. rest — what's left
  9. current — happening now
  10. stem — to come from
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. snap — to click
  16. pitch — completely
  17. current — electric
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. suit — clothes
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. dip — to sink
  24. suit — to fit

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