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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: pit · march · pitch · can · lash · stem · mouse · root

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. stem — to come from
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pit — a hole
  11. march — the month
  12. root — of a plant
  13. pitch — completely
  14. march — the month
  15. can — to be able to
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. march — music
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. root — the cause
  20. pit — in a race
  21. can — a tin
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. root — of a word
  24. can — a tin

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