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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. object — an aim
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. tube — the underground
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stem — to come from
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. tube — a container
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. net — for catching
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — to protest
  21. net — in sport
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. game — a match
  24. net — after costs

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