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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 120 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 · dip · bark · lie · scale · pop · pitch · fan

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pitch — completely
  6. stock — goods
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pop — to visit
  10. stock — shares
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pop — soda
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. pop — music
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bark — to shout
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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