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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  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. net — after costs
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. court — of a king
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. court — for sport
  11. track — to keep track
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. board — a committee
  14. track — a path
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. board — to get on
  18. court — of law
  19. rest — what's left
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. net — in sport
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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