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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.

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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. spell — a short time
  3. net — after costs
  4. can — to be able to
  5. net — in sport
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. key — for a lock
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. spell — letters
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. spell — magic
  18. key — in music

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