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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.

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: can · cue · fall · bound · content · season · pitch · stick

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. content — the amount
  3. can — a tin
  4. cue — a signal
  5. can — a tin
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bound — certain
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. season — in sport
  12. content — happy
  13. fall — to drop
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bound — tied together
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pitch — completely
  18. cue — a hint
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. can — to be able to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fall — the season
  23. season — of the year
  24. bound — obliged

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