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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bulb — for light
  5. degree — from a university
  6. net — in sport
  7. degree — an amount
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. net — for catching
  10. lie — to recline
  11. last — finally
  12. kick — in football
  13. degree — temperature
  14. bore — to tire
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bore — to drill
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. last — final
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bulb — for light
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. last — to go on

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