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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.

Make a worksheet

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: game · stand · root · cap · last · present · cue · pitcher

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. present — the time now
  3. root — of a plant
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. present — a gift
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. cue — a hint
  8. last — finally
  9. present — there
  10. last — final
  11. game — a match
  12. game — wild animals
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cap — a lid
  18. root — the cause
  19. last — to go on
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. cue — for pool
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. root — of a word
  24. stand — to bear

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