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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. deal — to handle
  5. band — a ring
  6. court — of law
  7. court — for sport
  8. band — a music group
  9. net — in sport
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. net — after costs
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fine — high quality
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. lean — thin
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. court — of a king
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. suit — to fit
  23. lean — to bend
  24. fine — all right

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