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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 120 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: pitch · stock · temple · wake · cabinet · arm · rest · march

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. march — music
  3. rest — a break
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. march — the month
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. stock — shares
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wake — a trail
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. rest — what's left
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. march — the month
  22. pitch — completely
  23. stock — goods
  24. rest — what's left

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