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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 116 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: shower · object · stand · mug · suit · pitch · lie · ball

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. mug — a cup
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — to protest
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. suit — clothes
  8. object — a thing
  9. stand — to bear
  10. lie — to recline
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. ball — a dance
  15. shower — rain
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mug — to rob
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. shower — to wash
  20. pitch — completely
  21. ball — a great time
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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