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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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. charge — a price
  4. net — for catching
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. net — after costs
  10. mark — a trace
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. mark — a grade
  13. lie — to recline
  14. net — in sport
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — electricity
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — to handle
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mark — to pay attention

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