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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. bank — for money
  4. can — a tin
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — size or range
  7. net — after costs
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. cue — a signal
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bank — for money
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. snap — to click
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. scale — in music
  18. board — a committee
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cue — a hint
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. can — a tin
  24. mine — for digging

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