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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. face — part of the head
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — for catching
  5. drill — army training
  6. drill — a practice
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. net — in sport
  10. drill — the tool
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. face — to confront
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. face — to point toward
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. swing — in golf
  18. pitch — completely
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. swing — music
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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