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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 124 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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. prune — to trim
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. craft — boats
  7. firm — steady
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. mug — a face
  10. net — in sport
  11. prune — to trim
  12. firm — a company
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. dip — to sink
  16. pitch — completely
  17. net — after costs
  18. stock — shares
  19. mug — a cup
  20. net — for catching
  21. firm — decided
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. mug — to rob
  24. craft — a skill

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