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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.

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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: mine · fan · march · deal · pitch · board · ruler · snap

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. march — the month
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — completely
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. march — the month
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. march — music
  13. snap — to click
  14. board — a committee
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — for digging
  24. board — to get on

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