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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: pitch · lash · tube · prune · staff · arm · stand · cap

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. staff — a stick
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. stand — to bear
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pitch — completely
  9. tube — the underground
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — of ice
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. cap — a hat
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. tube — a container
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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