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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: hide · leaves · dip · pitch · racket · stick · wake · stock

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stock — goods
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pitch — completely
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. stock — shares
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wake — a trail
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. racket — for tennis

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