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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pitch — completely
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. saw — the tool
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. club — for golf
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. net — after costs
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. net — for catching
  23. club — a group
  24. saw — the tool

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