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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: stock · branch · rush · chip · pound · staff · pitch · pit

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. chip — to eat
  7. staff — employees
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. chip — for betting
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pound — a weight
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. branch — a division
  16. staff — employees
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — completely
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. pit — in a race
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — goods
  24. branch — of a bank

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