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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: pitch · tube · stock · dip · bore · current · press · staff

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. tube — the underground
  3. staff — employees
  4. stock — goods
  5. bore — to tire
  6. press — to push
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. dip — to sink
  9. current — of water
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. stock — shares
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bore — to drill
  14. press — a publisher
  15. current — happening now
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. tube — a container
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. staff — employees
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. staff — a stick
  23. current — electric
  24. press — newspapers

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