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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. track — a song
  4. current — happening now
  5. net — in sport
  6. stand — to bear
  7. net — after costs
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. track — to keep track
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. track — a path
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. current — of water
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. current — electric
  24. bark — to shout

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