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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
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 · tear · season · cell · net · fine · bass · pitch

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. staff — a stick
  4. net — in sport
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. tear — from crying
  7. net — for catching
  8. cell — in biology
  9. staff — employees
  10. pitch — completely
  11. cell — a phone
  12. tear — to rip
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bass — the fish
  16. season — of the year
  17. bass — low music
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. staff — employees
  20. tear — from crying
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. net — after costs
  23. fine — all right
  24. bass — the instrument

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