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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — certain
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. last — finally
  7. last — to go on
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bank — for money
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. can — to be able to
  12. sharp — clever
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bound — obliged
  15. can — a tin
  16. bank — for money
  17. last — final
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. net — for catching
  21. can — a tin
  22. net — in sport
  23. bank — of a river
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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