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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. net — after costs
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. net — in sport
  7. kick — in football
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. net — for catching
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. can — a tin
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rash — a series
  24. can — a tin

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