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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: nail · wake · hide · stock · key · foot · pitch · jam

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. key — the most important part
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. key — in music
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stock — shares
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. foot — a measure
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. stock — goods
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. key — for a lock
  24. pitch — completely

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