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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. lean — thin
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mug — to rob
  7. season — in sport
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mug — a face
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mug — a cup
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — a weight
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. charge — in control
  17. suit — clothes
  18. charge — electricity
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. season — of the year
  21. lean — to bend
  22. charge — a price
  23. net — for catching
  24. net — in sport

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