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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
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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: pitch · date · game · cue · pound · stock · cabinet · press

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. cue — a hint
  4. stock — goods
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stock — shares
  8. pitch — completely
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. pound — a weight
  11. game — wild animals
  12. cue — for pool
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. press — newspapers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. date — the fruit
  19. game — a match
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. press — a publisher
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. press — to push

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