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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: fine · stock · bear · straw · pitch · object · mug · foot

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. mug — to rob
  6. stock — shares
  7. foot — a measure
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. mug — a cup
  10. pitch — completely
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. object — to protest
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. fine — all right
  18. object — an aim
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bear — the animal
  21. object — a thing
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. stock — goods
  24. mug — a face

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