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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. net — in sport
  6. board — a committee
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. craft — a skill
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. current — electric
  11. rock — a stone
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. current — of water
  14. board — to get on
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. craft — boats
  18. net — for catching
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. current — happening now
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. rock — music
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. racket — for tennis

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