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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bass — low music
  4. bound — certain
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — for catching
  7. spell — magic
  8. bass — the fish
  9. spell — a short time
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. present — a gift
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. spell — letters
  16. deal — to handle
  17. present — there
  18. net — in sport
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bound — tied together
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bound — obliged

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