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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — completely
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. deal — to handle
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. present — a gift
  13. net — for catching
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. kid — to tease
  18. present — the time now
  19. net — after costs
  20. net — in sport
  21. kid — child
  22. present — there
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. saw — the tool

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