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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. suit — to fit
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. net — in sport
  6. spell — magic
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. net — for catching
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. kick — in football
  14. suit — in cards
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — a short time
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. suit — clothes
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — high quality
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. kick — a thrill

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