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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. scale — in music
  3. net — after costs
  4. mug — a face
  5. net — in sport
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. current — happening now
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pitch — completely
  11. net — for catching
  12. scale — size or range
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a cup
  15. ground — a position
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. current — electric
  18. pit — in a race
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — the earth
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. current — of water
  24. snap — to click

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