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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: dip · pit · nail · mate · jam · stock · wind · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. stock — shares
  4. mate — to breed
  5. wind — moving air
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pit — in a race
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. pit — a hole
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. mate — a friend
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. mate — a partner
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. stock — goods

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