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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. rock — a stone
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. scale — size or range
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pitch — completely
  12. scale — in music
  13. net — after costs
  14. fine — high quality
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. present — there
  17. net — for catching
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. present — the time now
  21. rock — music
  22. present — a gift
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. fine — all right

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