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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 124 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — after costs
  3. track — a song
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. can — to be able to
  6. net — in sport
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. track — to keep track
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. can — a tin
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. track — a path
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. fork — in a road
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. can — a tin
  24. fork — to eat with

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