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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: object · mark · rule · fan · mouse · pitch · field · cue

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a signal
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — an aim
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. field — for sport
  9. rule — government
  10. mark — a grade
  11. rule — a law
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. cue — a hint
  14. mark — a trace
  15. object — to protest
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. field — farmland
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. field — a subject
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pitch — completely
  23. mouse — the animal
  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