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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: pitch · fan · march · staff · current · wave · rule · dip

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. current — happening now
  4. rule — government
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. staff — employees
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. current — electric
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. rule — a law
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. staff — a stick
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. current — of water
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. march — the month
  19. dip — to sink
  20. pitch — completely
  21. march — the month
  22. staff — employees
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. dip — a sauce

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