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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — a series
  6. net — for catching
  7. saw — the tool
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — in sport
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. charge — electricity
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — a price
  18. rash — on the skin

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