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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. fine — high quality
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. net — after costs
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. shower — rain
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. vault — a safe
  10. net — in sport
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. object — a thing
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. sharp — clever
  17. object — an aim
  18. shower — to wash
  19. bass — the fish
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. fine — all right
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. object — to protest

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