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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. firm — steady
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — a company
  6. suit — to fit
  7. foot — a measure
  8. march — the month
  9. pop — to visit
  10. net — for catching
  11. suit — in cards
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — to wash
  17. march — music
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — soda
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. net — in sport
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. march — the month

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