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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 116 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: mug · cue · row · fall · saw · pitch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — completely
  3. fall — to drop
  4. mug — to rob
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. row — to paddle
  7. cue — a signal
  8. row — a line
  9. cue — for pool
  10. mug — a cup
  11. saw — the tool
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. cue — a hint
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. mug — a face
  16. saw — the tool
  17. fall — the season
  18. fall — to drop

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