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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. net — after costs
  3. firm — decided
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. net — in sport
  6. lie — to recline
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. object — to protest
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. toast — bread
  13. firm — a company
  14. net — for catching
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. key — in music
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. object — a thing
  19. key — for a lock
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. firm — steady
  22. key — the most important part
  23. object — an aim
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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