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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: craft · roll · can · pitch · stem · snap · trunk · squash

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. pitch — completely
  3. can — a tin
  4. roll — a list
  5. squash — the sport
  6. can — a tin
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. snap — to click
  10. stem — to come from
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. craft — boats
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. can — to be able to
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. squash — to crush
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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