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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. craft — a skill
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — in sport
  12. face — part of the head
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. firm — decided
  15. face — to confront
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. pitch — completely
  18. firm — steady
  19. face — to point toward
  20. craft — boats
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. firm — a company
  23. chip — for betting
  24. craft — a handicraft

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