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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. fall — to drop
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stock — goods
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. stock — shares
  8. fall — the season
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fall — to drop
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pitch — completely
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. coach — a trainer

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