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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: net · pitch · leaves · tube · firm · pound · cap · hand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. pitch — completely
  3. cap — a hat
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. firm — decided
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. net — in sport
  8. tube — the underground
  9. cap — a lid
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. net — after costs
  13. firm — a company
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. hand — help
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. cap — of ice
  21. net — for catching
  22. pound — a weight
  23. firm — steady
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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