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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: mark · pit · stem · bark · pitcher · coach · safe · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. scale — size or range
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — to come from
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pit — in a race
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mark — a grade
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pit — a hole
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bark — to shout
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bark — of a tree

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