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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 works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. net — after costs
  3. dip — to sink
  4. season — in sport
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — steady
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. board — to get on
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — a thing
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. object — to protest
  13. net — in sport
  14. cue — a hint
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. cue — for pool
  17. wind — moving air
  18. net — for catching
  19. season — of the year
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. board — a committee
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. cue — a signal
  24. wind — moving air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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