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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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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. net — in sport
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. season — of the year
  8. net — after costs
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. content — the amount
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. net — for catching
  14. rush — hurry
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. suit — clothes
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. season — in sport
  21. content — happy
  22. fork — in a road
  23. suit — in cards
  24. saw — the tool

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