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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. kick — in football
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. stock — goods
  5. bass — the fish
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. stock — shares
  11. net — in sport
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. chair — a leader
  15. net — after costs
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bass — low music
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. kick — a thrill

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