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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. rock — music
  9. net — after costs
  10. pound — a weight
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rock — a stone
  15. plane — a tool
  16. net — in sport
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. mouse — for a computer

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