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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. net — after costs
  3. rock — music
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mug — a cup
  6. ground — a position
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — to rob
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. ground — the earth
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. net — for catching
  15. bank — for money
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rock — a stone
  19. ground — crushed
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bank — for money
  22. net — in sport
  23. bear — the animal
  24. kick — in football

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