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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: pitch · bound · mine · ball · rush · stock · tube · suit

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  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 — a sales talk
  2. ball — a dance
  3. pitch — completely
  4. ball — a great time
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. tube — the underground
  7. mine — for digging
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — certain
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — in cards
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. tube — a container
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bound — obliged
  23. mine — an explosive
  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