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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
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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: wax · bay · spring · hide · net · row · fine · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. spring — a coil
  8. row — to paddle
  9. fine — high quality
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. suit — in cards
  13. row — a line
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — in sport
  18. fine — all right
  19. spring — of water
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. spring — the season
  23. net — for catching
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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