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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: stand · wax · dip · spring · bear · club · cue · pitch

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pitch — completely
  3. club — for golf
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. stand — to bear
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bear — the animal
  12. cue — a signal
  13. wax — to grow
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. club — a group
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. spring — of water
  19. spring — a coil
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. club — for dancing
  22. spring — the season
  23. dip — to sink
  24. pitch — a sports field

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