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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. net — after costs
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. perch — the fish
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bank — of a river
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bank — for money
  13. rash — hasty
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. rash — a series
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bank — for money
  19. net — for catching
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. foot — a measure
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — a partner

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