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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 116 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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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: net · rest · racket · kick · hide · mug · deal · tear

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. rest — what's left
  3. tear — from crying
  4. net — in sport
  5. mug — to rob
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. net — after costs
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rest — a break
  11. mug — a face
  12. rest — what's left
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mug — a cup
  15. net — for catching
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. deal — to handle
  18. kick — in football
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. tear — to rip
  24. kick — a thrill

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