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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.

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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: fine · suit · pitcher · stem · squash · hand · foot · tube

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — high quality
  6. stem — to come from
  7. suit — clothes
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. foot — a measure
  13. squash — to crush
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. hand — help
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. tube — the underground
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. squash — the sport
  22. suit — to fit
  23. tube — a container
  24. squash — the vegetable

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