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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. scale — size or range
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. net — after costs
  7. root — the cause
  8. pitch — completely
  9. craft — a skill
  10. scale — in music
  11. net — in sport
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. craft — boats
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — of water
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — of a word
  22. current — electric
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bay — a horse colour

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