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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 · sharp · fall · safe · pitch · season · cap · arm

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. sharp — clever
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — of the year
  6. cap — a lid
  7. pitch — completely
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. stock — goods
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fall — to drop
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fall — the season
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. fall — to drop
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. cap — a hat
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. cap — of ice
  24. safe — a strongbox

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