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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 116 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: sharp · tube · pitcher · stick · rush · stand · ball · bound

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. sharp — clever
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bound — tied together
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bound — obliged
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bound — certain
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a dance
  18. tube — a container
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. rush — hurry
  23. tube — the underground
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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