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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 120 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: tube · snap · board · hide · firm · can · net · rock

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. can — to be able to
  3. net — after costs
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. net — for catching
  7. firm — decided
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. tube — the underground
  10. can — a tin
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. firm — steady
  14. snap — to click
  15. board — to get on
  16. tube — a container
  17. firm — a company
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. can — a tin
  24. rock — music

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