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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: fork · temple · firm · deal · squash · sharp · pitch · net

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  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. net — after costs
  2. deal — to handle
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. fork — in a road
  6. squash — the sport
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. net — in sport
  11. squash — to crush
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. pitch — completely
  15. firm — decided
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. net — for catching
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. firm — steady
  23. pitch — a sports field
  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