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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. cap — of ice
  3. net — in sport
  4. drill — the tool
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. drill — army training
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bound — certain
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cue — a hint
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. drill — a practice
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bound — obliged
  16. cue — for pool
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bound — tied together
  22. cue — a signal
  23. net — for catching
  24. bear — the animal

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