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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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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: ground · suit · wound · stem · wave · pitcher · can · racket

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ground — crushed
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. stem — to come from
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. wound — an injury
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. ground — a position
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. suit — clothes
  21. can — a tin
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. wound — an injury

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