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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  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. game — a kind of play
  3. bound — tied together
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wake — a trail
  6. cue — a signal
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. suit — in cards
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bound — certain
  15. suit — to fit
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. net — for catching
  18. cue — a hint
  19. game — wild animals
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. game — a match
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bound — obliged
  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