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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.

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: staff · net · pit · pop · foot · pitcher · hide · fine

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pop — to visit
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pop — music
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pit — a hole
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. net — in sport
  13. pop — soda
  14. net — for catching
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. fine — high quality
  19. foot — a measure
  20. staff — employees
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. net — after costs
  24. pitcher — a jug

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