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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. track — a path
  5. net — in sport
  6. craft — boats
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — for catching
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pop — music
  11. craft — a skill
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pop — soda
  14. track — a song
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. suit — to fit
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pop — to visit
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. track — to keep track
  24. coach — a trainer

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