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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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. net — for catching
  3. bear — the animal
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to drill
  8. net — in sport
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bat — the animal
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bore — to tire
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. nail — on a finger

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