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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. mark — a trace
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. mark — a grade
  5. net — after costs
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. game — a match
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. key — the most important part
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. chair — a leader
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — wild animals
  21. key — in music
  22. deal — to handle
  23. key — for a lock
  24. racket — a loud noise

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