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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pit · pitcher · firm · snap · key · stock · squash · straw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. snap — to click
  3. key — in music
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pit — a hole
  13. stock — shares
  14. key — the most important part
  15. stock — goods
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. squash — to crush
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. key — for a lock
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. firm — decided
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — the vegetable

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