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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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Word bank
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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: ground · mug · leaves · firm · can · date · net · mate

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. firm — a company
  3. mate — a partner
  4. firm — decided
  5. mug — a face
  6. ground — a position
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. can — to be able to
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. ground — the earth
  11. firm — steady
  12. mate — a friend
  13. can — a tin
  14. mate — to breed
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. mug — to rob
  18. date — the fruit
  19. mug — a cup
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. ground — crushed
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — in sport
  24. net — for catching

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