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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pop — music
  4. net — after costs
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. pitch — completely
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pop — to visit
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a signal
  13. wake — a trail
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. pop — soda
  16. cue — a hint
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. net — for catching
  22. fine — high quality
  23. net — in sport
  24. wake — before a funeral

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