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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. firm — a company
  5. key — in music
  6. firm — decided
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. key — for a lock
  9. net — in sport
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. key — the most important part
  12. net — after costs
  13. bear — the animal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bear — the animal
  17. shower — to wash
  18. firm — steady
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. shower — rain
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. racket — for tennis

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