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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 · straw · ruler · bank · tube · suit · fan · arm

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. suit — clothes
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. suit — to fit
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. bank — for money
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. tube — the underground
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — completely
  24. suit — in cards

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