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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. swing — in golf
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. mug — to rob
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pitch — completely
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. swing — to play on
  12. root — the cause
  13. net — in sport
  14. mug — a cup
  15. swing — music
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. mug — a face
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — of a plant
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. net — for catching
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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