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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. toast — bread
  5. cue — a hint
  6. snap — to click
  7. net — for catching
  8. squash — to crush
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. net — in sport
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. lean — to bend
  14. cue — a signal
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. cue — for pool
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. foot — a measure
  21. squash — the sport
  22. lean — thin
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. squash — the vegetable

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