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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: saw · pit · pitcher · leaves · stick · bay · band · stand

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. band — a music group
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. pit — in a race
  21. stand — to bear
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. pit — a hole
  24. band — a ring

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