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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. swing — in golf
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. net — for catching
  6. swing — to play on
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — in a race
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. object — a thing
  12. pit — a hole
  13. object — an aim
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. capital — a city
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. lean — thin
  19. swing — music
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. object — to protest
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. capital — money
  24. net — in sport

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