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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. can — a tin
  4. net — after costs
  5. can — to be able to
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. net — for catching
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. dip — to sink
  16. can — a tin
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. lean — thin
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lean — to bend
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pitch — completely
  24. net — in sport

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