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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: bay · root · suit · stock · racket · pitch · rock · mine

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. root — of a word
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. stock — goods
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. mine — for digging
  11. pitch — completely
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. suit — clothes
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. stock — shares
  21. suit — to fit
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. racket — for tennis

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