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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: land · suit · pop · bowl · pitcher · fan · fork · present

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. pop — soda
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pop — to visit
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. present — there
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. suit — in cards
  13. land — to come down
  14. land — a country
  15. present — a gift
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pop — music
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. suit — clothes
  21. fork — in a road
  22. land — ground
  23. present — the time now
  24. bowl — a dish

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