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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. lean — thin
  3. present — the time now
  4. cap — a hat
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. present — a gift
  7. suit — to fit
  8. net — after costs
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a word
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bass — low music
  13. root — of a plant
  14. net — in sport
  15. mate — a friend
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bass — the fish
  19. suit — in cards
  20. lean — to bend
  21. cap — a lid
  22. present — there
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bass — the instrument

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