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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. charge — a price
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. net — in sport
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. court — of a king
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. charge — electricity
  11. mark — a grade
  12. court — of law
  13. tube — a container
  14. court — for sport
  15. tube — the underground
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mark — a trace
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lie — to recline
  20. charge — in control
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. net — after costs
  23. rest — a break
  24. lie — an untruth

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