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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.

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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: track · dip · board · toast · net · firm · pit · ground

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. track — a path
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. dip — to sink
  5. ground — crushed
  6. toast — bread
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. ground — a position
  9. board — a committee
  10. firm — decided
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. net — for catching
  16. ground — the earth
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — in sport
  19. track — a song
  20. firm — steady
  21. track — to keep track
  22. pit — in a race
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. firm — a company

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