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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.

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: pitch · bowl · tube · stand · board · fall · prune · track

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pitch — completely
  8. track — a path
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. board — to get on
  12. track — a song
  13. prune — to trim
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. tube — a container
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. tube — the underground
  24. prune — to trim

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