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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 · pit · pitch · drill · prune · suit · fan · mark

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — in a race
  5. mark — a grade
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. suit — in cards
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — the tool
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. suit — clothes
  15. drill — army training
  16. prune — to trim
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pitch — completely
  19. suit — to fit
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. mark — a trace

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