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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 120 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: scale · row · racket · tube · pitch · lie · present · stock

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. stock — shares
  4. scale — size or range
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — there
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. tube — a container
  13. pitch — completely
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. tube — the underground
  16. scale — in music
  17. row — to paddle
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. row — a line
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. present — the time now
  24. stock — goods

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