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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. mark — a trace
  3. track — to keep track
  4. can — a tin
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. track — a song
  8. mark — a grade
  9. band — a music group
  10. net — for catching
  11. can — to be able to
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. net — in sport
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. can — a tin
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bound — obliged
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bound — certain
  21. track — a path
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. band — a ring
  24. bound — tied together

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