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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: foot · present · object · net · wound · dip · leaves · firm

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. net — for catching
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. present — the time now
  5. firm — decided
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. firm — steady
  9. dip — to sink
  10. net — in sport
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. foot — a measure
  13. object — an aim
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. object — to protest
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. object — a thing
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. firm — a company
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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