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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · cue · arm · leaves · bank · pitcher

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bank — for money
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bank — for money

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