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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: net · mine · ruler · kick · bay · scale · pit · racket

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. scale — in music
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. net — in sport
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. scale — size or range
  11. net — after costs
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pit — a hole
  16. net — for catching
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pit — in a race
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. kick — in football
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. kick — a thrill

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