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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 120 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
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: staff · net · fan · rest · bowl · pitch · cell · current

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. cell — in biology
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. rest — a break
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. staff — employees
  8. cell — a phone
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. staff — employees
  13. current — of water
  14. staff — a stick
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. pitch — completely
  17. net — for catching
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. net — after costs
  21. current — electric
  22. current — happening now
  23. net — in sport
  24. rest — what's left

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