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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: stock · rush · pit · mate · sharp · staff · stand · track

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. track — a path
  8. track — a song
  9. mate — a friend
  10. stock — shares
  11. mate — a partner
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. stock — goods
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. staff — employees
  16. rush — hurry
  17. sharp — clever
  18. mate — to breed
  19. staff — a stick
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. pit — a hole
  22. stand — to bear
  23. track — to keep track
  24. rush — to hurry

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