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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: rash · present · mouse · march · pitcher · cue · stand · chip

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rash — a series
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a hint
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. march — music
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. march — the month
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. present — a gift
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rash — hasty
  16. present — there
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cue — a signal
  22. present — the time now
  23. stand — to bear
  24. pitcher — a jug

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