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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 120 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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. race — the arms race
  6. dip — to sink
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. net — in sport
  9. pop — music
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. mark — a grade
  12. pop — to visit
  13. net — for catching
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pop — soda
  17. race — a contest
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mate — to breed
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. race — humankind
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mate — a friend

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