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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: bass · stock · stand · spell · pitcher · pitch · pop · lie

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. pop — soda
  9. spell — letters
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stock — shares
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. spell — magic
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. stock — goods
  18. bass — low music
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bass — the fish
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. lie — to recline
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — for spectators

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