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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 · cue · tube · pop · stand · bank · land · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. land — ground
  3. cue — a hint
  4. stand — to bear
  5. can — to be able to
  6. cue — a signal
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pop — soda
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. pop — to visit
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pitch — completely
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pop — music
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bank — of a river
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bank — for money
  19. land — a country
  20. bank — for money
  21. cue — for pool
  22. land — to come down
  23. can — a tin
  24. tube — a container

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