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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. net — after costs
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mug — a cup
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. hand — help
  9. fall — to drop
  10. net — for catching
  11. firm — a company
  12. fall — to drop
  13. present — there
  14. mug — to rob
  15. firm — decided
  16. fall — the season
  17. hand — in cards
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. firm — steady
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mug — a face
  22. present — a gift
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. present — the time now

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