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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 116 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: stock · mug · face · hide · season · sharp · key · pitch

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. season — of the year
  5. key — in music
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. key — for a lock
  8. season — in sport
  9. face — to point toward
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. sharp — clever
  15. mug — to rob
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. face — to confront
  20. key — the most important part
  21. face — part of the head
  22. mug — a face
  23. sharp — with an edge
  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