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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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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: fan · pit · jam · snap · rash · vault · pitch · suit

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. suit — in cards
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. rash — hasty
  9. suit — clothes
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. pitch — completely
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. vault — a safe
  16. rash — a series
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. suit — to fit
  20. snap — to click
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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