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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mug · staff · stem · prune · saw · chip · pitch · chest

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. chest — a box
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. mug — to rob
  7. staff — a stick
  8. stem — to come from
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. saw — the tool
  11. staff — employees
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. chip — for betting
  16. prune — to trim
  17. chest — of your body
  18. mug — a face
  19. staff — employees
  20. mug — a cup
  21. chest — of your body
  22. prune — to trim
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. chip — to eat

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