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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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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. foot — a measure
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wake — a trail
  5. stock — goods
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — an injury
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. mark — a trace
  20. pitch — completely
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. stock — shares

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