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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: bear · stand · swing · pitch · lean · mouse · foot · ruler

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pitch — completely
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stand — to bear
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. lean — thin
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. swing — in golf
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bear — the animal
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. swing — to play on
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. swing — music
  23. lean — to bend
  24. ruler — for measuring

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