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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: cue · deal · stand · pitch · field · cell

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. field — for sport
  3. cue — a signal
  4. stand — to bear
  5. cell — in biology
  6. field — farmland
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — to handle
  10. cell — a phone
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — completely
  13. cue — a hint
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. field — a subject
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. deal — a big deal

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