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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 116 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: file · stem · stick · pitch · suit · mark · bass · kid

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. file — a line of people
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bass — the fish
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. file — a tool
  12. kid — child
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bass — low music
  16. stem — to come from
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pitch — completely
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. kid — to tease
  23. file — a document
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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