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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: dip · mug · pitch · bowl · leaves · hand · mark · stock

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. dip — to sink
  3. stock — shares
  4. hand — in cards
  5. mug — to rob
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. mug — a cup
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pitch — completely
  24. hand — help

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