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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pop — soda
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. suit — in cards
  6. chest — of your body
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. chest — a box
  9. current — of water
  10. current — electric
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pop — music
  14. suit — clothes
  15. net — after costs
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. net — in sport
  18. suit — to fit
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pop — to visit
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bore — to drill
  23. net — for catching
  24. current — happening now

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