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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pitch — completely
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mug — to rob
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. net — after costs
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. mug — a face
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mug — a cup

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