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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  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. net — for catching
  2. saw — the tool
  3. net — after costs
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bank — of a river
  6. content — the amount
  7. rock — music
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. saw — the tool
  11. roll — a list
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bank — for money
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. net — in sport
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. bank — for money
  19. roll — a cake
  20. rock — a stone
  21. sharp — clever
  22. mug — to rob
  23. content — happy
  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