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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 116 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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. rush — hurry
  3. object — an aim
  4. net — after costs
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. object — a thing
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bound — obliged
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pit — a hole
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bound — tied together
  19. object — to protest
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. net — for catching
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bound — certain

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