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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: cap · swing · cell · fan · stem · pitch · squash · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. cell — a phone
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. stem — to come from
  6. cell — in biology
  7. swing — in golf
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. cap — a hat
  11. squash — to crush
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. swing — to play on
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. swing — music
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. pitch — completely
  18. cap — of ice
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cap — a lid
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. squash — the sport
  24. foot — a measure

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