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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: stem · bank · wave · can · pitcher · coach · bat · sharp

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bat — the animal
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. can — to be able to
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. sharp — clever
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bank — for money
  24. stem — of a plant

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