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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. net — after costs
  3. current — happening now
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. can — a tin
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pitch — completely
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. net — for catching
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. can — to be able to
  18. net — in sport
  19. sharp — clever
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. rock — music
  23. cue — a signal
  24. can — a tin

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