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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 124 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's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. squash — to crush
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. clip — a video
  7. clip — to cut
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — in sport
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. clip — for paper
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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