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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 120 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: pitcher · tear · lie · pass · stand · arm · fan · cue

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — to rip
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cue — a hint
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cue — a signal
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pass — a permit
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. tear — from crying
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. stand — to bear
  23. cue — for pool
  24. lie — an untruth

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