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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. firm — a company
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — in sport
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — an aim
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. object — a thing
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. firm — decided
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. kick — in football
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. firm — steady

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