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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: squash · branch · firm · pitch · cap · drill · cue · fine

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. squash — the sport
  3. firm — decided
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. firm — steady
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. fine — all right
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. cap — of ice
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — high quality
  12. squash — to crush
  13. branch — a division
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. drill — a practice
  19. firm — a company
  20. drill — army training
  21. drill — the tool
  22. pitch — completely
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. cue — for pool

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