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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 116 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: fine · fan · pitch · bat · chip · prune · wake · present

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pitch — completely
  3. wake — a trail
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. fine — high quality
  10. present — a gift
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. fine — all right
  14. chip — to eat
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bat — the animal
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. present — there
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. chip — for betting
  24. wake — before a funeral

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