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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 120 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: mouse · object · pound · cabinet · hide · pitch · hand · stand

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. object — an aim
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pitch — completely
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. hand — in cards
  11. object — a thing
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hand — help
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. pound — a weight
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. object — to protest
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — for spectators

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