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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 · wind · stick · cue · hide · toast

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. cue — a signal
  5. toast — bread
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. pitch — completely
  8. cue — a hint
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wind — moving air
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wind — moving air
  18. cue — for pool

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