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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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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: ball · fan · cue · fork · dip · pitch · pass · bowl

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pass — a permit
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — to sink
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. ball — a dance
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. cue — a signal
  20. ball — a great time
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. pitch — completely

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