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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: object · cap · mug · stock · stand · game · rash · pitch

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. stand — to bear
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stock — goods
  6. mug — a cup
  7. stock — shares
  8. mug — to rob
  9. pitch — completely
  10. object — a thing
  11. game — wild animals
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. mug — a face
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. cap — a hat
  17. rash — a series
  18. object — an aim
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a lid
  21. rash — hasty
  22. game — a match
  23. object — to protest
  24. rash — on the skin

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