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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  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. net — for catching
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. net — in sport
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. season — of the year
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. charge — a price
  14. bass — the fish
  15. charge — electricity
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. charge — in control
  18. season — in sport
  19. net — after costs
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bass — low music
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  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