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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: craft · lie · stick · land · temple · stock · pit · pitch

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. pit — in a race
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. land — ground
  5. craft — boats
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. land — to come down
  11. craft — a skill
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. stock — shares
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. stock — goods
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. land — a country

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