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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · roll · pitch · fork · toast · mark · game · saw

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. mark — a trace
  4. stock — shares
  5. fork — in a road
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. roll — a cake
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. mark — a grade
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. saw — the tool
  16. game — a match
  17. roll — a list
  18. pitch — completely
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — wild animals
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. stock — goods
  23. toast — bread
  24. mark — to pay attention

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