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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 116 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: stem · bore · pitch · stock · mate · branch · suit · fine

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bore — to tire
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. mate — a friend
  7. branch — a division
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. stock — shares
  10. pitch — completely
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. mate — a partner
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bore — to drill
  16. fine — all right
  17. stock — goods
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. fine — high quality
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stock — a soup base

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