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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. file — a tool
  4. present — there
  5. firm — steady
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. present — a gift
  9. pass — a permit
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. firm — decided
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. firm — a company
  17. file — a line of people
  18. present — the time now
  19. file — a document
  20. net — for catching
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. net — in sport
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bowl — a dish

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