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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: stand · pass · cell · board · stock · pop · snap · pitch

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. pass — a permit
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. stand — to bear
  8. pop — soda
  9. cell — in biology
  10. pop — music
  11. snap — to click
  12. pop — to visit
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. board — to get on
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stock — shares
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. cell — a phone
  22. board — a committee
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. stock — goods

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