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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bass — low music
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. mark — a trace
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bass — the fish
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — for catching
  23. net — in sport
  24. pitch — completely

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