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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. tube — the underground
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. net — for catching
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stand — to bear
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to click
  18. tube — a container
  19. net — in sport
  20. pitch — completely
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. net — after costs

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