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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: pitch · calf · temple · bulb · chip · fan · fine · land

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pitch — completely
  7. fine — all right
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. chip — for betting
  11. land — to come down
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. land — a country
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. land — ground
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fine — high quality
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. fine — a penalty

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