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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. net — after costs
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. swing — to play on
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. swing — music
  8. net — for catching
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. can — a tin
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a trace
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bear — the animal
  20. swing — in golf
  21. net — in sport
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. can — a tin
  24. mark — a grade

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