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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. net — for catching
  4. foot — a measure
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. hand — in cards
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. craft — a skill
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. tube — a container
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. tube — the underground
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — after costs
  24. racket — a loud noise

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