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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: game · bear · rush · pitcher · fan · board · cabinet · saw

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bear — the animal
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. board — to get on
  12. game — wild animals
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. saw — the tool
  19. game — a match
  20. saw — the tool
  21. board — a committee
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. fan — a supporter

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