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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: pitch · rest · ground · swing · pound · mug · suit · stem

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. mug — a cup
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. stem — to come from
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. swing — music
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — a position
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pitch — completely
  17. mug — a face
  18. suit — clothes
  19. mug — to rob
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. swing — in golf
  22. swing — to play on
  23. rest — what's left
  24. suit — to fit

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