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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. bank — of a river
  3. last — finally
  4. charge — in control
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. charge — electricity
  7. row — a line
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. last — final
  10. row — to paddle
  11. charge — a price
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. net — for catching
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. last — to go on
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — all right
  23. net — in sport
  24. fan — to cool the air

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