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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: spell · bank · nail · mark · calf · hide · stock · pitch

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. stock — goods
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bank — for money
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bank — for money
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pitch — completely
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — letters
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bank — of a river
  19. stock — shares
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. spell — magic
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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