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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: pitch · tube · sharp · mouse · stand · toast · land · deal

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. toast — bread
  3. land — ground
  4. tube — the underground
  5. deal — to handle
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. sharp — clever
  12. land — to come down
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. tube — a container
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pitch — completely
  19. land — a country
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. sharp — exactly
  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