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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 was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. net — for catching
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bat — the animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. net — in sport
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. ball — a dance
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. craft — a skill
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. ball — a great time
  23. craft — boats
  24. arm — part of the body

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