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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wind · bowl · net · lean · mouse · file · pitch · staff

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — for catching
  7. staff — employees
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. net — in sport
  14. file — a tool
  15. wind — moving air
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. file — a line of people
  24. wind — moving air

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