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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. object — an aim
  3. mark — a grade
  4. kid — to tease
  5. spring — the season
  6. kid — child
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. net — after costs
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a trace
  11. object — to protest
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pit — a hole
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. object — a thing
  17. suit — to fit
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. suit — clothes
  21. spring — of water
  22. suit — in cards
  23. net — for catching
  24. spring — a coil

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