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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. net — after costs
  3. net — for catching
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. prune — to trim
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. charge — a price
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. staff — a stick
  11. charge — in control
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. stock — shares
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. staff — employees
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. net — in sport
  19. stock — goods
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. foot — a measure
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. prune — to trim
  24. charge — electricity

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