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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: snap · stock · racket · pitch · suit · toast · craft · spring

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. suit — in cards
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. toast — bread
  5. pitch — completely
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. snap — to click
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. suit — clothes
  13. craft — boats
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — goods
  16. spring — the season
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. spring — a coil
  19. suit — to fit
  20. craft — a skill
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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