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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · pop · net · arm · season · racket · roll · file

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pop — music
  3. roll — a list
  4. file — a document
  5. net — for catching
  6. file — a line of people
  7. season — in sport
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pop — soda
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. net — in sport
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. net — after costs
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. pop — to visit
  20. season — of the year
  21. file — a tool
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. racket — for tennis

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