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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: bound · straw · pitch · cue · firm · plane · fan · cap

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. cap — a lid
  3. firm — decided
  4. cap — a hat
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bound — tied together
  9. cue — a signal
  10. firm — a company
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. plane — a tool
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. cue — for pool
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. pitch — completely
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cue — a hint
  21. bound — certain
  22. firm — steady
  23. bound — obliged
  24. plane — in geometry

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