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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. staff — employees
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. rest — a break
  6. ball — a great time
  7. staff — employees
  8. pound — a weight
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. present — there
  12. net — after costs
  13. present — a gift
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. stem — to come from
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. staff — a stick
  20. present — the time now
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. net — in sport

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