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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 120 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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. present — there
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. tear — to rip
  7. deal — to handle
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. present — a gift
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — for catching
  12. rock — music
  13. pit — in a race
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. key — for a lock
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pit — a hole
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — in music
  21. present — the time now
  22. tear — from crying
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. tear — from crying

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