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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. club — for golf
  3. mug — a face
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bat — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bound — certain
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. club — for dancing
  15. net — for catching
  16. club — a group
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bound — obliged
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. net — in sport
  24. bound — tied together

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