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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: sharp · snap · board · pitch · mate · rock · stem · cell

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. pitch — completely
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. snap — to click
  6. rock — a stone
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. mate — to breed
  10. sharp — clever
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. stem — to come from
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. board — a committee
  16. cell — in biology
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. rock — music
  20. mate — a friend
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. cell — a phone
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. mate — a partner

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