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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. shower — to wash
  4. net — after costs
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. net — in sport
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. shower — rain
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. rock — music
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. net — for catching
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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