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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stem · patient · rush · stick · lean · stock · pitch · lie

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. stock — shares
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. lean — thin
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stem — to come from
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. stock — goods
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rush — hurry
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. lie — an untruth

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