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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. pop — music
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. net — for catching
  5. pop — to visit
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. prune — to trim
  8. toast — bread
  9. net — in sport
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — a cake
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. pop — soda
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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