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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: staff · present · mouse · game · net · season · object · cap

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. season — of the year
  3. present — a gift
  4. staff — employees
  5. net — in sport
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. staff — a stick
  8. cap — a lid
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — a match
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. staff — employees
  13. cap — a hat
  14. object — to protest
  15. present — the time now
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — for catching
  18. season — in sport
  19. object — an aim
  20. cap — of ice
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. present — there
  23. game — wild animals
  24. season — to add flavour

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