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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. mug — a cup
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. net — after costs
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. board — to get on
  9. mug — a face
  10. ball — a dance
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. track — to keep track
  15. net — in sport
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ball — a great time
  20. track — a path
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — a committee
  24. track — a song

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