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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 120 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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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: fork · deal · sharp · staff · stock · root · pitch · stick

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. staff — employees
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. staff — employees
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. root — of a plant
  10. staff — a stick
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. root — of a word
  13. fork — in a road
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. sharp — clever
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — goods
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. root — the cause
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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