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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.

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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: pitch · object · pound · fine · fan · suit · rule · present

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  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. pitch — a sales talk
  2. object — an aim
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. present — there
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. rule — government
  7. present — a gift
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rule — a law
  10. fine — all right
  11. present — the time now
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — completely
  17. fine — high quality
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. object — a thing
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. suit — to fit
  22. object — to protest
  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