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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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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 · plane · suit · squash · lie · march · racket · stock

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. pitch — completely
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. squash — the sport
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — shares
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. suit — in cards
  15. squash — to crush
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. plane — a tool
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. suit — to fit
  21. march — the month
  22. lie — to recline
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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