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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.

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: pitch · stock · shower · march · wave · cue · mug · pit

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. mug — a cup
  7. shower — rain
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. cue — a signal
  10. shower — to wash
  11. march — music
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. pit — in a race
  14. mug — to rob
  15. pitch — completely
  16. stock — shares
  17. cue — for pool
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. march — the month
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. march — the month
  22. cue — a hint
  23. mug — a face
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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