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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: firm · stick · stand · roll · degree · tube · cue · pitch

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — completely
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. firm — steady
  9. degree — an amount
  10. degree — temperature
  11. roll — a list
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. tube — a container
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. degree — from a university
  19. cue — a signal
  20. firm — a company
  21. cue — a hint
  22. roll — a cake
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. firm — decided

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