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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. net — after costs
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. firm — a company
  7. fine — high quality
  8. root — of a plant
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. net — for catching
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. firm — decided
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. firm — steady
  16. root — of a word
  17. fine — all right
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. root — the cause
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. net — in sport
  24. dip — to sink

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