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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. mate — a friend
  3. toast — bread
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. net — in sport
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. pit — in a race
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pit — a hole
  16. net — after costs
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — to breed
  20. rock — a stone
  21. lean — thin
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — a leader
  24. rock — music

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