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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. track — a path
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — employees
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. present — there
  7. bank — of a river
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bank — for money
  10. foot — a measure
  11. staff — a stick
  12. track — a song
  13. net — in sport
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — the time now
  16. bank — for money
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. track — to keep track
  21. net — for catching
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. cabinet — ministers

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