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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. squash — the sport
  3. mark — a trace
  4. swing — music
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. net — in sport
  7. swing — to play on
  8. net — for catching
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. lean — thin
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. pound — a weight
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. swing — in golf
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pound — to hit hard

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