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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 116 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. key — in music
  5. pit — in a race
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ball — a great time
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. perch — the fish
  14. net — after costs
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stock — shares
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pitch — completely
  24. stock — goods

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