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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: lash · pitch · fine · pitcher · stock · bulb · board · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. stock — shares
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. fine — high quality
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a committee
  17. pitch — completely
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. fine — all right
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. lash — an eyelash

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