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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
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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: cap · ball · toast · court · mark · pitch · fan · staff

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. mark — a grade
  3. cap — a hat
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. mark — a trace
  7. court — for sport
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ball — a great time
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. court — of a king
  17. cap — a lid
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cap — of ice
  20. court — of law
  21. pitch — completely
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. toast — bread
  24. ball — a dance

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