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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rush · stock · pitch · degree · coach · lie · stick · bay

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. degree — temperature
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — goods
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. lie — to recline
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. degree — from a university
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lie — an untruth

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