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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. pitch — completely
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. net — after costs
  6. swing — to play on
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. perch — the fish
  9. object — to protest
  10. swing — music
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. ground — the earth
  14. net — in sport
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. object — a thing
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. object — an aim
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — crushed
  24. swing — in golf

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