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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a face
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. net — for catching
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. fine — high quality
  7. net — in sport
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a song
  10. net — after costs
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fine — all right
  15. rash — hasty
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. track — a path
  24. mug — a cup

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