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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. net — after costs
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. ground — crushed
  5. can — to be able to
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. mug — to rob
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mug — a face
  10. track — a path
  11. mug — a cup
  12. can — a tin
  13. net — in sport
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. ground — a position
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — the underground
  18. prune — to trim
  19. track — a song
  20. net — for catching
  21. track — to keep track
  22. deal — to handle
  23. can — a tin
  24. prune — to trim

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