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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 120 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: staff · mark · stock · prune · object · pitch · wave · mouse

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. staff — employees
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. mark — a trace
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. object — to protest
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. prune — to trim
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. object — an aim
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. staff — employees
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stock — goods
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. staff — a stick
  23. mark — a grade
  24. object — a thing

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