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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 116 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: season · cap · tube · lean · nail · stick · pitch · stem

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cap — a hat
  7. season — in sport
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pitch — completely
  12. lean — thin
  13. season — of the year
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. lean — to bend
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. tube — a container
  19. cap — a lid
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. tube — the underground
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. season — to add flavour

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