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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. net — after costs
  3. saw — the tool
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. net — for catching
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. saw — the tool
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rest — what's left
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. rest — a break
  17. net — in sport
  18. present — a gift
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rest — what's left
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. present — there
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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