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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 · bank · cell · foot · spell · pitch · pitcher · cue

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. spell — letters
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. spell — a short time
  8. foot — a measure
  9. cell — a phone
  10. bank — of a river
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a hint
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. cue — a signal
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bank — for money
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. spell — magic
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bank — for money
  24. cell — in biology

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