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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: pitch · cold · stick · mouse · stock · suit · prune · safe

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stock — shares
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cold — an illness
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cold — not warm
  17. stock — goods
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. suit — in cards
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. prune — to trim
  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