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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: pitch · stand · prune · drill · chip · stock · pitcher · bound

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. drill — army training
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bound — certain
  5. drill — the tool
  6. chip — for betting
  7. stock — goods
  8. chip — to eat
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bound — tied together
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stock — shares
  20. stand — to bear
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. drill — a practice
  24. pitcher — a jug

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