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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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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: tube · foot · nail · stem · pitch · cell · pitcher · suit

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. cell — a phone
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. cell — in biology
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — a container
  19. foot — a measure
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. stem — to come from
  24. pitch — completely

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