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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: stand · bark · pitcher · rock · pitch · rush · bear · plane

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitch — completely
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. rock — music

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