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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. net — in sport
  5. object — an aim
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. object — a thing
  8. mark — a grade
  9. present — there
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mark — a trace
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. club — a group
  14. deal — to handle
  15. present — a gift
  16. mate — a friend
  17. present — the time now
  18. net — after costs
  19. object — to protest
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mate — a partner
  22. net — for catching
  23. club — for golf
  24. club — for dancing

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