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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: foot · tube · pass · pitch · band · pitcher

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. band — a ring
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. band — a music group
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — a container
  12. pass — a permit
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitch — completely
  16. foot — a measure
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pass — to succeed

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