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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: stem · mug · tube · saw · roll · staff · pitcher · face

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. mug — a cup
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. saw — the tool
  5. face — part of the head
  6. tube — a container
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stem — to come from
  9. face — to confront
  10. staff — a stick
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. roll — a list
  15. mug — a face
  16. staff — employees
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. staff — employees
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. mug — to rob
  22. tube — the underground
  23. roll — a cake
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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