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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: club · pass · mate · pitch · face · net

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. net — after costs
  3. net — for catching
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pass — a permit
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. mate — a friend
  10. net — in sport
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — part of the head
  13. club — a group
  14. face — to confront
  15. club — for golf
  16. mate — a partner
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pitch — a sales talk

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