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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. can — a tin
  3. net — in sport
  4. firm — steady
  5. branch — a division
  6. march — the month
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. spell — magic
  11. mug — to rob
  12. firm — a company
  13. march — the month
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. mug — a cup
  16. can — a tin
  17. march — music
  18. firm — decided
  19. spell — letters
  20. net — for catching
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. can — to be able to
  23. mug — a face
  24. spell — a short time

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