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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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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. can — a tin
  4. net — in sport
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bank — of a river
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. content — the amount
  12. content — happy
  13. can — to be able to
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bank — for money
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. wind — moving air
  18. can — a tin
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. net — for catching
  24. bank — for money

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