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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: stick · stock · wake · board · rush · pitch · pitcher · suit

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. suit — in cards
  6. stock — shares
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. pitch — completely
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rush — hurry
  11. suit — to fit
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. wake — a trail
  14. board — a committee
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. stock — goods
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. board — to get on
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. rush — a thrill

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