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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 116 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. present — there
  3. can — to be able to
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. can — a tin
  6. scale — in music
  7. key — in music
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. present — the time now
  11. tube — a container
  12. season — of the year
  13. net — after costs
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. key — the most important part
  18. season — in sport
  19. scale — size or range
  20. net — in sport
  21. can — a tin
  22. present — a gift
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. key — for a lock

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