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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. kick — in football
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. saw — the tool
  7. net — for catching
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. deal — to handle
  10. march — the month
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. march — the month
  14. march — music
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. net — in sport
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bore — to tire
  20. saw — the tool
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bore — to drill
  24. kick — with a leg

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