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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  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. net — after costs
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bass — the fish
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bass — low music
  7. object — an aim
  8. mug — a face
  9. cue — a hint
  10. drill — a practice
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. mug — a cup
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mug — to rob
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. drill — army training
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. net — in sport
  20. object — to protest
  21. cue — a signal
  22. drill — the tool
  23. object — a thing
  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