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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. deal — to handle
  3. kid — to tease
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. net — in sport
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. mark — a trace
  10. can — to be able to
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. can — a tin
  14. wind — moving air
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. can — a tin
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. kid — child
  19. net — for catching
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. net — after costs
  22. mark — a grade
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wind — moving air

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