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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.

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: leaves · hide · coach · face · bark · pitch · racket · stock

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. stock — goods
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. face — part of the head
  8. pitch — completely
  9. face — to confront
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. face — to point toward
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stock — shares
  20. bark — to shout
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stock — a soup base

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