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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. firm — decided
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. net — after costs
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. fall — the season
  7. net — for catching
  8. can — to be able to
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — steady
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. can — a tin
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. can — a tin
  15. net — in sport
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. fall — to drop

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