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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. object — an aim
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. net — after costs
  5. object — to protest
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mine — for digging
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bulb — for light
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. branch — a division
  13. bulb — for light
  14. object — a thing
  15. pit — in a race
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — a stone
  19. net — in sport
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pit — a hole
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. mine — an explosive

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