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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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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: cue · drill · stand · file · pitch · face · present · squash

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. cue — for pool
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. squash — the sport
  6. present — the time now
  7. drill — a practice
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. drill — army training
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stand — to bear
  13. squash — to crush
  14. pitch — completely
  15. face — to confront
  16. cue — a hint
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. present — there
  19. file — a tool
  20. drill — the tool
  21. face — to point toward
  22. file — a document
  23. file — a line of people
  24. present — a gift

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