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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
468
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 · lash · wake · stock · file · mouse · pop · kick

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. wake — a trail
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. file — a document
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pitch — completely
  12. file — a line of people
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — to visit
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — in football
  19. pop — soda
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. stock — shares
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. pitch — a sports field

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