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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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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: fall · pitcher · temple · band · firm · march · foot · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. band — a music group
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. foot — a measure
  8. march — the month
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. band — a ring
  11. march — the month
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. firm — decided
  14. fall — to drop
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. fall — to drop
  17. march — music
  18. firm — a company
  19. fall — the season
  20. firm — steady
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. foot — part of the body

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