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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. net — for catching
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. lean — thin
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. track — a song
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. mate — to breed
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. track — a path
  15. mate — a partner
  16. charge — a price
  17. mate — a friend
  18. lean — to bend
  19. charge — in control
  20. track — to keep track
  21. pit — a hole
  22. net — in sport
  23. pitch — completely
  24. charge — electricity

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