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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: cue · drill · cabinet · tube · fall · pitch · pitcher · board

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. fall — the season
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. board — a committee
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. tube — a container
  12. fall — to drop
  13. drill — army training
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. drill — a practice
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. fall — to drop
  18. tube — the underground
  19. board — to get on
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pitch — completely
  24. cue — a signal

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