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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. firm — decided
  3. rock — a stone
  4. board — a committee
  5. net — for catching
  6. current — electric
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. net — in sport
  11. mark — a grade
  12. rock — music
  13. current — of water
  14. firm — steady
  15. wound — an injury
  16. board — to get on
  17. net — after costs
  18. firm — a company
  19. current — happening now
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pitch — completely
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — to pay attention

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