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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 · chip · rush · fine · tube · pitch · wound · foot

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. pitch — completely
  4. foot — a measure
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. chip — to eat
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. chip — for betting
  15. tube — the underground
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. fine — all right
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rush — hurry
  20. wound — an injury
  21. fine — high quality
  22. tube — a container
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. foot — the bottom

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