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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.

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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. net — after costs
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rock — a stone
  7. net — for catching
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. rest — a break
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. net — in sport
  12. pitch — completely
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rock — music
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. rest — what's left

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