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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: lean · cabinet · pitch · straw · court · nail · stem · suit

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pitch — completely
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — thin
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. court — for sport
  11. suit — in cards
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. suit — clothes
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. court — of a king
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stem — to come from
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. court — of law

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