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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 124 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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. row — a line
  3. pitch — completely
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. craft — boats
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. net — after costs
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. cap — a hat
  11. can — a tin
  12. net — in sport
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. can — to be able to
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. row — to paddle
  20. can — a tin
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cap — of ice
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. cap — a lid

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