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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. dip — to sink
  5. net — for catching
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. net — after costs
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. lean — thin
  17. net — in sport
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. pitch — completely
  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