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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. clip — to cut
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. clip — a video
  9. pitch — completely
  10. clip — for paper
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. swing — in golf
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. net — in sport
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. swing — to play on
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. swing — music
  20. net — for catching
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  24. ruler — a monarch

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