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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. net — after costs
  3. file — a line of people
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. file — a document
  8. mug — a cup
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. mug — a face
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. sharp — clever
  13. file — a tool
  14. net — in sport
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. mug — to rob
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. net — for catching
  24. sharp — with an edge

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