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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 120 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: nail · lash · pop · stem · leaves · stick · rock · pitch

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. rock — music
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — soda
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pop — to visit
  19. rock — a stone
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stem — to come from
  23. pitch — completely
  24. lash — an eyelash

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