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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. suit — to fit
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. net — for catching
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a plant
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. file — a line of people
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. root — of a word
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — bread
  16. net — in sport
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. lie — to recline
  21. file — a document
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. file — a tool

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