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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. net — for catching
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rash — a series
  13. kick — in football
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. net — in sport
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. jam — in traffic

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