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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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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: hide · pitch · content · bowl · ruler · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. content — the amount
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. content — happy
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. pitch — completely
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bowl — a football final

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