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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. board — to get on
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cap — a lid
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. board — a committee
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. pitch — completely
  22. date — the fruit
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. board — a flat piece

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