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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 116 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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. net — after costs
  4. current — happening now
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. net — in sport
  9. swing — in golf
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. staff — employees
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. swing — music
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. swing — to play on
  20. current — of water
  21. current — electric
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. kick — in football
  24. net — for catching

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