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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 116 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. net — for catching
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. mate — to breed
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — for golf
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mate — a partner
  15. net — after costs
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. net — in sport
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. snap — to click
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. club — a group
  23. pop — music
  24. mate — a friend

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