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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: cabinet · spell · pitch · stand · wake · pound · leaves · fork

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. spell — magic
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — in a road
  13. spell — letters
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pound — a weight
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. wake — a trail
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. pitch — completely
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stand — to bear
  22. spell — a short time
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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