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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: deal · wound · season · net · mouse · mug · key · root

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. season — in sport
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. net — in sport
  6. key — for a lock
  7. root — of a word
  8. season — of the year
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — a cup
  11. wound — an injury
  12. key — the most important part
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. root — of a plant
  15. deal — to handle
  16. net — for catching
  17. root — the cause
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. key — in music
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mouse — for a computer

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