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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. land — to come down
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. firm — steady
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. net — after costs
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. perch — the fish
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. land — a country
  15. firm — a company
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. land — ground
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. net — in sport
  23. firm — decided
  24. wave — with your hand

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