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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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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: wave · stock · pitch · pass · stem · wind · nail · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. stem — to come from
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pass — a permit
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wind — moving air
  19. lie — to recline
  20. stock — shares
  21. pitch — completely
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stock — goods
  24. pitch — a sports field

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