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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 120 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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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: race · firm · stand · foot · band · pitch · ball · tube

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. race — the arms race
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. pitch — completely
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. band — a music group
  8. ball — a great time
  9. foot — a measure
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. firm — steady
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. tube — a container
  15. race — a contest
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. race — humankind
  19. ball — a dance
  20. firm — decided
  21. tube — the underground
  22. band — a ring
  23. firm — a company
  24. stand — to bear

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