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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — completely
  3. current — of water
  4. stock — shares
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. net — in sport
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. current — electric
  9. net — after costs
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. lean — thin
  12. track — a song
  13. track — to keep track
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stock — goods
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. lean — to bend
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. current — happening now
  23. net — for catching
  24. track — a path

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