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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: swing · dip · cue · stand · pitcher · tube · file · staff

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. cue — a hint
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. staff — employees
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. file — a line of people
  8. staff — employees
  9. swing — to play on
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. tube — the underground
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. cue — a signal
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. staff — a stick
  17. tube — a container
  18. file — a document
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. file — a tool
  21. cue — for pool
  22. swing — music
  23. dip — to sink
  24. dip — a sauce

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