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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.

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: ball · kick · pitcher · board · mouse · rule · fan · pitch

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. ball — a great time
  12. kick — in football
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pitch — completely
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ball — a dance
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rule — government
  20. board — to get on
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. board — a committee
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. rule — a law

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