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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: cue · current · toast · pitch · stem · land · coach · branch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  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. pitch — a sales talk
  2. cue — for pool
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. pitch — completely
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. stem — to come from
  9. current — electric
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. land — to come down
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. current — happening now
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. current — of water
  16. cue — a signal
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. cue — a hint
  19. toast — bread
  20. land — a country
  21. branch — a division
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. land — ground
  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