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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. net — after costs
  3. pop — soda
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pop — music
  6. rash — a series
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. net — for catching
  9. pop — to visit
  10. current — happening now
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. net — in sport
  16. current — electric
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. current — of water
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rash — on the skin

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