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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: pitch · bound · stock · fan · plane · mouse · cell · suit

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. suit — in cards
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pitch — completely
  10. stock — goods
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. suit — to fit
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. suit — clothes
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bound — certain
  18. cell — a phone
  19. stock — shares
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bound — obliged
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. cell — in biology

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