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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. stock — shares
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — the underground
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rest — a break
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — goods
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rush — hurry
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rest — what's left

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