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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.

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: net · spell · hide · game · fine · key · firm · pit

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. fine — all right
  4. firm — steady
  5. spell — letters
  6. net — for catching
  7. key — in music
  8. pit — a hole
  9. key — the most important part
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — a match
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. pit — in a race
  14. game — wild animals
  15. spell — magic
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. net — after costs
  18. fine — high quality
  19. firm — a company
  20. net — in sport
  21. spell — a short time
  22. firm — decided
  23. key — for a lock
  24. hide — to keep secret

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