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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. mate — to breed
  3. ground — crushed
  4. wake — a trail
  5. lean — thin
  6. mark — a grade
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. ground — the earth
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. net — for catching
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. net — in sport
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. lean — to bend
  18. net — after costs
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. mate — a friend
  21. ground — a position
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. mate — a partner
  24. pitcher — a jug

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