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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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Word bank
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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: pass · deal · file · saw · racket · net

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. net — after costs
  7. file — a tool
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. net — for catching
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. file — a document
  15. net — in sport
  16. pass — a permit
  17. file — a line of people
  18. deal — a big deal

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