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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 · capital · shower · craft · cue · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. craft — a skill
  3. cue — for pool
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. cue — a signal
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. capital — a city
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. capital — money
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. pitch — completely
  12. race — a contest
  13. craft — boats
  14. race — humankind
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. shower — rain
  17. cue — a hint
  18. shower — to wash

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