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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 116 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: staff · rock · pitcher · tube · present · fan · ground · net

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. present — the time now
  3. staff — a stick
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. tube — a container
  6. net — in sport
  7. ground — crushed
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. present — a gift
  10. rock — a stone
  11. net — for catching
  12. staff — employees
  13. tube — the underground
  14. ground — a position
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. net — after costs
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. ground — the earth
  19. present — there
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. staff — employees
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. rock — music
  24. tube — in a tire

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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