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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. net — after costs
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cap — a hat
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. rush — hurry
  16. net — for catching
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. net — in sport

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