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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: lash · fan · fork · ruler · chair · tube · pass · pitch

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pass — a permit
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. chair — a leader
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — completely
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. tube — a container
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fork — in a road

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