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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. object — an aim
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. object — to protest
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. net — in sport
  10. race — humankind
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bear — the animal
  13. object — a thing
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. race — a contest
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pitch — completely
  18. kid — child
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. net — for catching
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. kid — to tease
  24. race — the arms race

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