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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 120 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: pitch · mug · stem · arm · squash · lie · tube · rock

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. rock — a stone
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. mug — a cup
  7. tube — a container
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. squash — to crush
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stem — to come from
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — completely
  16. tube — the underground
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. mug — to rob
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. stem — a stem cell

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