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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: pitch · fall · tube · present · hand · bowl · leaves · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pitch — completely
  5. tube — a container
  6. hand — in cards
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. present — there
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. present — a gift
  12. tube — the underground
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. hand — help
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. present — the time now
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. leaves — of a tree

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