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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. face — to confront
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. charge — electricity
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — for catching
  14. pit — in a race
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. charge — in control
  17. pit — a hole
  18. vault — a safe
  19. fine — all right
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. root — of a plant
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — the cause
  24. charge — a price

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