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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: stock · pitch · lean · sharp · spring · can · last · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. stock — goods
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. last — final
  6. spring — of water
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. spring — the season
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. last — finally
  14. can — to be able to
  15. sharp — clever
  16. lean — to bend
  17. can — a tin
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stock — shares
  20. last — to go on
  21. can — a tin
  22. pitch — completely
  23. spring — a coil
  24. lean — thin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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