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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: pitcher · fan · stock · stick · cabinet · track · current · pitch

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pitch — completely
  5. track — to keep track
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. track — a song
  8. stock — goods
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — of water
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. current — electric
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. track — a path
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. stock — shares
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitcher — a jug

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