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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. net — after costs
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — completely
  6. net — for catching
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. net — in sport
  11. mark — a grade
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rock — music
  14. shower — rain
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. shower — to wash
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rest — a break
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. mark — a trace
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bowl — a football final

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