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

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. season — in sport
  4. field — farmland
  5. suit — clothes
  6. cap — a lid
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cap — of ice
  10. net — in sport
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. season — of the year
  13. cap — a hat
  14. net — after costs
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. net — for catching
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. field — a subject
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. swing — to play on
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. field — for sport

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