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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. rest — what's left
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — a publisher
  5. net — for catching
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. chip — for betting
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. rest — a break
  13. kick — in football
  14. mark — a trace
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. press — to push
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. chip — to eat
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. net — in sport
  23. deal — to handle
  24. rest — what's left

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