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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. net — for catching
  4. press — to push
  5. press — newspapers
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. mine — for digging
  8. net — in sport
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — child
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. can — a tin
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pound — a weight
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. object — to protest
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. press — a publisher
  22. can — a tin
  23. object — an aim
  24. net — after costs

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