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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 120 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. net — after costs
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. net — for catching
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. tube — the underground
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. cap — a hat
  10. net — in sport
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. mine — for digging
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rash — a series
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — of ice
  17. tube — a container
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. rash — hasty

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