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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. object — a thing
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. net — after costs
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. chest — of your body
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — an aim
  13. staff — a stick
  14. chest — of your body
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. chest — a box
  21. mark — a grade
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. craft — boats
  24. net — for catching

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