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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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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: fan · racket · net · pass · rule · pitch · lie · cabinet

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. net — after costs
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pass — a permit
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. rule — government
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. rule — a law
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. net — in sport
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. net — for catching
  24. cabinet — ministers

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