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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  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. wind — moving air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. net — for catching
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. firm — a company
  9. file — a document
  10. wind — moving air
  11. file — a line of people
  12. firm — steady
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. firm — decided
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. file — a tool
  18. vault — a safe
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. net — in sport
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. craft — boats
  23. mouse — the animal
  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