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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. tear — from crying
  5. squash — to crush
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pitch — completely
  8. net — in sport
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. tear — to rip
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. squash — the sport
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. tear — from crying
  15. net — for catching
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. rock — music
  18. net — after costs

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