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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: pitcher · fan · pass · craft · race · board · staff · bound

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. staff — a stick
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bound — tied together
  9. staff — employees
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bound — certain
  13. pass — a permit
  14. race — humankind
  15. race — a contest
  16. craft — boats
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. staff — employees
  19. race — the arms race
  20. board — to get on
  21. bound — obliged
  22. board — a committee
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pass — to succeed

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