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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: cue · pitch · court · board · arm · cap · stick · root

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. root — the cause
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. court — for sport
  6. root — of a word
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. cap — of ice
  9. court — of a king
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — a lid
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pitch — completely
  15. board — to get on
  16. root — of a plant
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. court — of law
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. cue — a hint
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. cue — a signal
  23. board — a committee
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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