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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. key — for a lock
  3. net — for catching
  4. net — in sport
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. wound — an injury
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. hand — help
  10. charge — in control
  11. key — in music
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. charge — electricity
  16. toast — bread
  17. vault — a safe
  18. charge — a price
  19. wound — an injury
  20. key — the most important part
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. bark — to shout
  24. hand — in cards

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