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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. can — to be able to
  5. net — for catching
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. last — to go on
  8. last — finally
  9. net — in sport
  10. staff — a stick
  11. shower — rain
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. shower — to wash
  16. can — a tin
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. staff — employees
  19. can — a tin
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. staff — employees
  23. bass — low music
  24. last — final

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