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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: firm · rock · snap · bowl · rash · pitch · stem · tear

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. firm — decided
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. rock — music
  9. firm — steady
  10. rash — a series
  11. stem — to come from
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. pitch — completely
  14. firm — a company
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. rock — a stone
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rash — hasty
  23. tear — from crying
  24. snap — to click

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