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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 · field · stock · mark · leaves · swing · vault · pitch

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. pitch — completely
  4. field — for sport
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. field — farmland
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. swing — to play on
  10. vault — a safe
  11. pop — music
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. stock — shares
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. swing — in golf
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. field — a subject
  21. swing — music
  22. mark — a grade
  23. pop — soda
  24. mark — a trace

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