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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.

Make a worksheet

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: chair · bound · lash · mine · pitch · fan · calf · stand

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. pitch — completely
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bound — certain
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bound — tied together
  11. stand — to bear
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — a leader
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bound — obliged
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. mine — for digging
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. chair — to sit 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