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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. net — after costs
  3. cue — for pool
  4. present — the time now
  5. stock — shares
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. present — a gift
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. cue — a signal
  11. pitch — completely
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. net — in sport
  14. rush — hurry
  15. stock — goods
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. net — for catching
  18. present — there
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rash — a series
  24. cue — a hint

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