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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. cue — a hint
  4. squash — the sport
  5. net — after costs
  6. suit — to fit
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — of the year
  9. suit — in cards
  10. craft — a skill
  11. suit — clothes
  12. craft — boats
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. net — for catching
  16. cue — for pool
  17. squash — to crush
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. file — a line of people
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. file — a document
  22. file — a tool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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