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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: squash · pitcher · wave · stock · ruler · pitch · cap · tube

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. stock — goods
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. cap — a lid
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. pitch — completely
  8. squash — the sport
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. squash — to crush
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — shares
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. cap — a hat
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. tube — the underground
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. cap — of ice
  22. tube — a container
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitcher — a jug

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