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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: suit · pitch · ruler · cap · stand · mug · key · tear

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. key — in music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mug — a face
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mug — a cup
  10. tear — from crying
  11. pitch — completely
  12. suit — to fit
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cap — of ice
  15. tear — to rip
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. stand — to bear
  18. mug — to rob
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — a lid

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