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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. tube — a container
  3. net — in sport
  4. firm — steady
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. firm — decided
  10. squash — the sport
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. tube — the underground
  13. net — after costs
  14. firm — a company
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. squash — to crush
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stand — to bear

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