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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 116 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: cue · rock · chip · pitch · stock · bay · sharp · bowl

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  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. bowl — a dish
  2. chip — to eat
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. cue — a hint
  11. rock — music
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. chip — for betting
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. rock — a stone
  21. sharp — clever
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pitch — completely
  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