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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. net — after costs
  3. land — a country
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — a price
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. net — for catching
  12. can — a tin
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. swing — music
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bear — the animal
  17. land — to come down
  18. stem — to come from
  19. swing — to play on
  20. can — a tin
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. swing — in golf
  24. land — ground

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