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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. firm — a company
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. firm — steady
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. content — happy
  12. track — a song
  13. net — for catching
  14. track — to keep track
  15. net — in sport
  16. content — the amount
  17. track — a path
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. kick — in football
  24. firm — decided

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