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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
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: pop · pitch · current · ball · racket · lash · foot · stem

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. ball — a great time
  3. foot — a measure
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pop — to visit
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. current — of water
  9. pitch — completely
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. pop — soda
  19. current — electric
  20. pop — music
  21. stem — to come from
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. current — happening now
  24. racket — a loud noise

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