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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. net — after costs
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mate — a friend
  5. ground — a position
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wound — an injury
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. net — in sport
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wound — an injury
  13. net — for catching
  14. mate — a partner
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. ground — crushed
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. ground — the earth
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bulb — for light

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