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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.

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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: current · toast · roll · pitch · board · spell · fan · patient

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. board — a committee
  3. roll — a cake
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. current — electric
  7. pitch — completely
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. spell — a short time
  13. roll — a list
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. toast — bread
  16. current — of water
  17. board — to get on
  18. current — happening now
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. spell — magic
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. spell — letters
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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