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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.

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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 · cabinet · stock · craft · track · patient · cap · board

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. stock — shares
  4. cap — a hat
  5. craft — boats
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. track — a path
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cap — of ice
  11. board — to get on
  12. pitch — completely
  13. track — to keep track
  14. cap — a lid
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stock — goods
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. craft — a skill
  21. board — a committee
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. track — a song
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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