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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.

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: pitch · lean · band · stem · foot · pitcher · branch · lash

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. band — a music group
  5. band — a ring
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. branch — a division
  15. lean — to bend
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. foot — a measure
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. lean — thin
  24. pitcher — a jug

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