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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 124 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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. chip — for betting
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. can — a tin
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. row — a line
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — after costs
  13. chip — to eat
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. degree — from a university
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. degree — an amount
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. degree — temperature
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. net — in sport
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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