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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. pitch — completely
  3. net — after costs
  4. swing — to play on
  5. fine — all right
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. current — of water
  8. swing — in golf
  9. object — a thing
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. object — an aim
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. mine — for digging
  17. net — for catching
  18. current — electric
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. fine — high quality
  21. current — happening now
  22. net — in sport
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. object — to protest

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