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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. charge — a price
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — a stone
  8. charge — electricity
  9. scale — size or range
  10. net — in sport
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. net — for catching
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. charge — in control
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. scale — in music

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