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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: squash · pitcher · wave · stock · ruler · pitch

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — to crush
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pitch — completely
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — goods
  13. squash — the sport
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pitcher — a jug

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