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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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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: wave · stem · arm · kick · pitch · straw · scale · suit

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pitch — completely
  4. kick — in football
  5. scale — in music
  6. suit — in cards
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. suit — clothes
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. suit — to fit
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. stem — to come from
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. scale — size or range

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