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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 · hand · stock · present · chip · current · staff · dip

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. stock — shares
  3. present — a gift
  4. pitch — completely
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. present — the time now
  7. chip — for betting
  8. stock — goods
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. hand — in cards
  11. present — there
  12. dip — to sink
  13. current — happening now
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. hand — help
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. chip — to eat
  24. staff — a stick

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