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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: pop · pit · mug · hand · racket · dip · bat · stock

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. stock — goods
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. dip — to sink
  7. mug — a face
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. stock — shares
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bat — the animal
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mug — to rob
  19. pit — a hole
  20. hand — help
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. hand — in cards
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. mug — a cup

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