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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. key — in music
  3. deal — to handle
  4. land — ground
  5. bulb — for light
  6. net — after costs
  7. can — a tin
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. net — in sport
  10. key — for a lock
  11. can — a tin
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. land — a country
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. key — the most important part
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. can — to be able to
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. land — to come down

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