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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. net — after costs
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hand — in cards
  9. net — for catching
  10. key — for a lock
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. dip — to sink
  13. key — in music
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. vault — a safe
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pass — a permit
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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