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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: stem · mine · track · swing · file · stick · suit · racket

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  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. stem — to come from
  2. track — a path
  3. track — to keep track
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. file — a line of people
  7. suit — to fit
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. swing — music
  10. suit — in cards
  11. swing — to play on
  12. file — a document
  13. swing — in golf
  14. file — a tool
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. suit — clothes
  19. track — a song
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mine — for digging
  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