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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — magic
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bound — tied together
  7. fine — all right
  8. cue — for pool
  9. fine — high quality
  10. cue — a hint
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — a series
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bound — certain
  18. spell — letters
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bound — obliged
  21. net — after costs
  22. cue — a signal
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bulb — for light

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