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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 116 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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. stock — shares
  6. staff — a stick
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. stem — to come from
  11. pitch — completely
  12. staff — employees
  13. stock — goods
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rock — music
  16. object — a thing
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. rock — a stone
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. object — to protest
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. object — an aim
  23. rush — hurry
  24. staff — employees

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