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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  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 — after costs
  2. ball — a great time
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. club — for golf
  6. rock — a stone
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. club — a group
  11. degree — temperature
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. degree — an amount
  16. ball — a dance
  17. net — in sport
  18. rock — music
  19. degree — from a university
  20. net — for catching
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. fine — high quality
  23. club — for dancing
  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