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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — thin
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rock — music
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. mate — to breed
  13. spring — of water
  14. mate — a partner
  15. pit — in a race
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bulb — for light
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. spring — a coil
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. spring — the season
  24. mate — a friend

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