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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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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: cue · stand · lash · net · pitch · charge · firm · band

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. charge — electricity
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pitch — completely
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — a price
  9. firm — steady
  10. band — a ring
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — in sport
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a signal
  15. firm — decided
  16. stand — to bear
  17. net — after costs
  18. band — a music group
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. firm — a company
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. cue — a hint

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