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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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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: plane · net · rule · charge · stock · pitch · dip · bay

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. net — for catching
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. charge — electricity
  8. stock — shares
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. net — in sport
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — government
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pitch — completely
  17. net — after costs
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. stock — goods
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. charge — a price
  24. plane — a tool

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