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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 116 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. dip — to sink
  4. wound — an injury
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. suit — in cards
  7. wound — an injury
  8. board — a committee
  9. charge — a price
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. net — for catching
  12. mug — a face
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. suit — to fit
  15. board — to get on
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. charge — electricity
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. mug — to rob
  21. suit — clothes
  22. net — in sport
  23. charge — in control
  24. mug — a cup

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