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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  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. mug — a face
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. court — for sport
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. spell — magic
  8. net — for catching
  9. mug — to rob
  10. kick — in football
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. court — of law
  13. can — a tin
  14. spell — a short time
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. spell — letters
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mug — a cup
  19. court — of a king
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. can — to be able to
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. can — a tin
  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