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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 120 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: charge · stand · suit · fan · bat · bowl · pit · dip

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. suit — clothes
  3. charge — a price
  4. bat — the animal
  5. suit — in cards
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. charge — electricity
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stand — to bear
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. charge — in control
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. pit — in a race
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. stand — on your feet

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