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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: march · pitcher · mug · can · fine · net

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. march — the month
  3. net — after costs
  4. fine — all right
  5. net — in sport
  6. fine — high quality
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. march — music
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. can — a tin
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. march — the month
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mug — a face
  18. net — for catching

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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