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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 120 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 always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — to get on
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. rest — what's left
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pass — a permit
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. net — for catching
  14. suit — in cards
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. suit — clothes
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. net — in sport
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. board — a committee
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. vault — a safe
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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