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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. present — the time now
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a committee
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. present — there
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — shares
  17. pitch — completely
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. present — a gift
  22. sharp — clever
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. prune — to trim

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