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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stock · firm · object · kid · cap · pitch · bass · nail

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. firm — steady
  3. object — a thing
  4. stock — goods
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bass — the fish
  8. kid — child
  9. cap — of ice
  10. firm — decided
  11. bass — low music
  12. kid — to tease
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. stock — shares
  21. firm — a company
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. nail — on a finger

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