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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. foot — a measure
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. drill — the tool
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — in sport
  15. rush — hurry
  16. drill — army training
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. drill — a practice
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. deal — to handle

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