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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chip · pitch · stand · stock · press · rule

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stock — goods
  3. press — newspapers
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stock — shares
  10. press — a publisher
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rule — government
  13. press — to push
  14. rule — a law
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pitch — a sports field

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