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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitch — completely
  6. board — a committee
  7. net — in sport
  8. mark — a grade
  9. net — after costs
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. board — to get on
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. sharp — clever
  21. net — for catching
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. pitch — a sports field

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