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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: mouse · pitch · can · current · squash · stick · stock · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. squash — to crush
  4. can — to be able to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. stock — goods
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. can — a tin
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. current — happening now
  12. stock — shares
  13. pitch — completely
  14. squash — the sport
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. rush — hurry
  19. current — of water
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. can — a tin
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. current — electric

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