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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: ground · net · fine · bulb · cap · race · pitch · cue

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. race — a contest
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. ground — the earth
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. net — for catching
  13. fine — high quality
  14. ground — a position
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bulb — for light
  19. race — humankind
  20. net — after costs
  21. cap — of ice
  22. net — in sport
  23. ground — crushed
  24. cap — a lid

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