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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: bore · straw · scale · lash · pitch · stock · rule · bound

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. scale — size or range
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stock — shares
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. bore — to tire
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. rule — government
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. bound — certain
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bound — tied together
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bound — obliged
  21. stock — goods
  22. scale — in music
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rule — a law

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