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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. drill — a practice
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. fine — all right
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. rush — hurry
  14. fine — high quality
  15. net — for catching
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. net — in sport
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — army training

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