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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. shower — rain
  5. hand — in cards
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. net — in sport
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. net — for catching
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. suit — in cards
  12. kick — in football
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. hand — help
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. suit — to fit
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. shower — to wash

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