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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 116 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: pop · pitch · bay · fan · cue · mine · track · cap

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — completely
  6. cap — of ice
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pop — soda
  10. track — a song
  11. cue — a hint
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. cap — a lid
  14. mine — for digging
  15. cue — a signal
  16. pop — to visit
  17. track — a path
  18. pop — music
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cap — a hat

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