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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: pitch · bulb · stock · cue · patient · mouse · rock · can

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cue — a signal
  5. stock — goods
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. can — a tin
  11. cue — a hint
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. rock — music
  14. can — to be able to
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. can — a tin
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cue — for pool
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. stock — shares
  24. patient — a sick person

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