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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. net — for catching
  4. lie — to recline
  5. key — the most important part
  6. season — of the year
  7. key — in music
  8. net — in sport
  9. file — a line of people
  10. net — after costs
  11. key — for a lock
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. file — a tool
  14. current — happening now
  15. file — a document
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. current — of water
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. season — in sport
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. current — electric
  24. lie — an untruth

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