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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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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: bowl · pitch · ruler · rule · fan · pit · craft · land

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. land — to come down
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. land — ground
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. craft — boats
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. pit — a hole
  18. land — a country
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. rule — a law
  24. ruler — for measuring

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