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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: pass · bound · pitch · stick · lie · row · suit · fan

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. suit — clothes
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. row — a line
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bound — certain
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bound — tied together
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bound — obliged
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. row — to paddle
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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