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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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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 · wave · squash · pitcher · cue · cap · pitch · chip

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. squash — to crush
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitch — completely
  8. squash — the sport
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. cap — a hat
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. cue — a hint
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. cap — a lid
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. chip — for betting
  21. cue — a signal
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. cue — for pool
  24. squash — the vegetable

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