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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: bulb · fall · scale · field · lean · pitch · cue · stock

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. field — farmland
  4. field — for sport
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. pitch — completely
  7. cue — for pool
  8. field — a subject
  9. scale — in music
  10. lean — to bend
  11. fall — the season
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fall — to drop
  14. cue — a hint
  15. stock — shares
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. cue — a signal
  19. scale — size or range
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. lean — thin
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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