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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — army training
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. firm — decided
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — hurry
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. toast — bread
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. net — for catching
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — to breed
  17. net — in sport
  18. firm — a company
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mate — a friend
  23. drill — the tool
  24. firm — steady

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