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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: suit · deal · net · board · swing · root · fan · lie

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. net — for catching
  3. swing — to play on
  4. lie — to recline
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — in sport
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. deal — to handle
  9. root — of a word
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. suit — to fit
  12. root — the cause
  13. swing — music
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. swing — in golf
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. root — of a plant
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fan — to cool the air

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