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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 116 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: pitch · suit · net · nail · hide · fan · mark · court

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. mark — a grade
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pitch — completely
  9. court — of law
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. net — for catching
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. court — for sport
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. net — after costs
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. mark — a trace
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. court — of a king
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. suit — clothes
  24. nail — on a finger

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