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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: last · can · rash · safe · spell · stock · pitch · stand

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. spell — magic
  3. can — a tin
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. last — finally
  6. stock — goods
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. can — a tin
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. spell — a short time
  14. stock — shares
  15. last — to go on
  16. can — to be able to
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. spell — letters
  21. last — final
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. pitch — completely

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