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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: deal · fine · pitch · bear · net · current · object · date

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. current — electric
  4. date — the fruit
  5. deal — to handle
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. object — an aim
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. object — a thing
  11. net — in sport
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. net — after costs
  16. fine — high quality
  17. current — of water
  18. object — to protest
  19. net — for catching
  20. current — happening now
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bear — the animal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bear — the animal

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