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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 · lie · fan · fork · club · suit · face · hand

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. hand — in cards
  3. club — a group
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. suit — to fit
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. hand — help
  8. pitch — completely
  9. face — part of the head
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. face — to confront
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. club — for golf
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. suit — in cards
  22. club — for dancing
  23. lie — to recline
  24. face — to point toward

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