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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: tube · fan · pitch · club · pass · lean · fine · kick

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. club — a group
  5. lean — thin
  6. tube — the underground
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — in football
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pass — a permit
  12. lean — to bend
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. fine — all right
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. club — for golf
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — high quality
  23. club — for dancing
  24. tube — a container

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