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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. scale — in music
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bear — the animal
  8. hand — in cards
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bulb — for light
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bulb — for light
  13. scale — size or range
  14. net — in sport
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. staff — employees
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. staff — employees
  22. net — for catching
  23. hand — help
  24. fine — all right

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