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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: date · stand · fork · suit · pitch · cue · straw · bear

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. stand — to bear
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cue — a signal
  10. date — the fruit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cue — a hint
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. cue — for pool
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. fork — in a road
  24. pitch — completely

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