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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. net — after costs
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. degree — an amount
  5. net — in sport
  6. mate — a partner
  7. degree — temperature
  8. degree — from a university
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. net — for catching
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — to breed
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. foot — a measure
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — a series
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bear — the animal
  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