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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
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: club · fan · pitch · rule · stick · rush · leaves · mouse

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pitch — completely
  4. rule — government
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. rush — hurry
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. club — for dancing
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. club — for golf
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rule — a law
  24. mouse — the animal

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