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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. rest — a break
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. track — a song
  6. rest — what's left
  7. net — in sport
  8. rest — what's left
  9. net — after costs
  10. current — happening now
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. net — for catching
  14. press — newspapers
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. current — of water
  17. track — a path
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. press — to push
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. current — electric

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