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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 120 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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. dip — to sink
  3. net — in sport
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. suit — to fit
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bat — the animal
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. suit — in cards
  12. chip — for betting
  13. suit — clothes
  14. net — for catching
  15. net — after costs
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. chip — to eat
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. chip — in a computer

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