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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 120 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: trunk · suit · firm · mug · net · mark · cold · club

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mark — a grade
  3. net — for catching
  4. cold — not warm
  5. suit — clothes
  6. net — in sport
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. club — a group
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mug — a face
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mug — a cup
  15. suit — to fit
  16. firm — a company
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. firm — steady
  19. club — for golf
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. net — after costs
  22. cold — an illness
  23. club — for dancing
  24. firm — decided

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