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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. net — for catching
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. board — to get on
  5. rock — music
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — boats
  14. rush — hurry
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. board — a committee
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rock — a stone
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bulb — for light
  22. net — in sport
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. nail — for a hammer

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