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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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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: fine · net · cell · spring · deal · pitch · wax · safe

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. cell — in biology
  3. net — for catching
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. net — after costs
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. net — in sport
  10. cell — a phone
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. spring — a coil
  14. wax — to grow
  15. spring — the season
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. pitch — completely
  20. spring — of water
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — to handle
  23. fine — all right
  24. safe — a strongbox

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