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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pitch · board · pound · rule · pop · key · fan · march

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. march — the month
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. march — the month
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pop — music
  13. rule — a law
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. board — a committee
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. key — in music
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pound — a weight
  24. fan — to cool the air

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