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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: foot · fan · hide · rash · board · prune · pitch · stock

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. stock — goods
  3. prune — to trim
  4. foot — a measure
  5. prune — to trim
  6. board — to get on
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rash — a series
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. board — a committee
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stock — shares
  24. prune — the fruit

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