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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: pitch · fine · bark · coach · stem · lie · firm · stock

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bark — to shout
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. fine — high quality
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stock — shares
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. fine — all right
  10. firm — a company
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stem — to come from
  13. firm — decided
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. stock — goods
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. firm — steady
  24. lie — to recline

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