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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. net — for catching
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. track — to keep track
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. track — a song
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. track — a path
  10. rush — hurry
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cue — a signal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. content — the amount
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. cue — a hint
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. cue — for pool
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. net — in sport
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — happy
  24. rush — a thrill

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