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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 · stand · date · current · cue · deal · dip · land

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. land — a country
  7. cue — a signal
  8. pitch — completely
  9. current — electric
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — of water
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. dip — to sink
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. land — ground
  19. cue — for pool
  20. land — to come down
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. cue — a hint
  23. deal — to handle
  24. date — the fruit

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