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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. net — in sport
  3. object — an aim
  4. court — of a king
  5. net — for catching
  6. object — a thing
  7. court — of law
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. object — to protest
  11. court — for sport
  12. kick — in football
  13. mug — to rob
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. mug — a cup
  17. fine — high quality
  18. net — after costs
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pound — a weight
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bear — the animal
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. mug — a face

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